Mumbai, June 10 (IANS) The Maharashtra Cabinet during a meeting chaired by Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday cleared the statutory status to the State Scheduled Castes Commission. The government will introduce a bill in the upcoming monsoon session of the state legislature.

“The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Commission was established in the state in 2005 to effectively implement the principle of social justice. There are two separate commissions functioning in the central government for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Since the subjects related to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are different, the Central Tribal Council has recommended the establishment of separate commissions for both. Accordingly, two separate commissions have been established in the state for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes,” said a government release.

During the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the draft bill prepared to grant statutory status to the State Scheduled Castes Commission was approved. It was also approved to transfer the 27 posts created for this commission.

Further, the Cabinet also cleared an increase in the stipend of students of government physiotherapy, occupational therapy, degree and postgraduate courses in the state and to start stipend for students of B.Sc. Nursing course.

“Students of government degree courses in physical therapy and occupational therapy were getting a monthly stipend of Rs 1,750 during their residency training. This will be increased by Rs 6,250 to Rs 8,000 per month. A rise of Rs 10,000 including dearness allowance has been approved for postgraduate students of the same course. After this increase, postgraduate students will get a stipend of Rs 33,730. This increase will be effective from June 1, 2025,” said the government release.

B.Sc. nursing course is being offered in five government nursing colleges in Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Nanded.

About 50 students study in each of these places. The residency period of these students is six months. It was approved to provide a stipend of Rs 8,000 per month to these students, said the government release.

–IANS

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