Hemant stresses on e-cycles for govt school students, revamp of skill progs

Ranchi: Chief minister Hemant Soren on Monday directed officials to work out plans to introduce e-bicycles to replace the conventional ones for distribution among govt school students in rural areas to curb dropout rates.He also called for comprehensive plan to revamp skill development programmes in the state to align them with existing market needs in order to make local youths future ready across various sectors.Hemant chaired a review meeting of the Scheduled Tribe, Scheduled Caste, Minority and Backward Class Welfare department at Project Building in the afternoon. Ministers Chamra Linda and Hafizul Hasan and senior officials were present on the occasion. He further also stressed on time-bound and outcome-driven implementation of schemes to ensure benefits reach the last mile.Ahead of the upcoming special intensive revision (SIR) and ongoing census in the state, the CM also instructed schools under the department to run awareness programmes for larger participation.Focussing on healthcare for SC/ST patients, he focussed on establishment of help desks in Rims and all the district hospitals so that people can be facilitated properly, read an official communique from the IPRD department.“The CM also conducted a detailed assessment of the ongoing programmes, including the e-Kalyan portal, pre- and post-matric scholarships, Marang Gomke overseas scholarship, cycle distribution, exam fee reimbursement and the Mukhyamantri Rojgar Srijan Yojana (MRSY),” it added.On the occasion, he also held a video conference to directly interact with MRSY beneficiaries, seeking their feedback on loans, business operations, income generation and banking support. Beneficiaries said the scheme has helped them become self-reliant and create jobs locally. The CM directed officials to expedite pending applications, strengthen training support and set up a call centre to monitor grievances and feedback.Reviewing residential, minority and Eklavya model schools, Hemant ordered improvement in infrastructure, teacher availability, food quality, safety and overall academic environment. He also asked officials to fast-track the transfer of students from NGO-run institutions to CM Schools of Excellence.