Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah attended scholarship distribution program under the ‘Namo Lakshmi’ and ‘Namo Saraswati Science Sadhana Project’ as Chief Guest in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. On this occasion, several dignitaries, including the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Bhupendra Patel, were present.

Addressing the scholarship distribution program, Union Home Minister said that under the ‘Namo Lakshmi’ and ‘Namo Saraswati Science Sadhana Yojana’, scholarships worth approximately ₹116 crore have directly been deposited into the bank accounts of around 10.85 lakh students. The majority of the beneficiaries are female students. He further said that these two schemes will bring about a significant transformation in Gujarat's education sector in the coming days.

Shri Amit Shah said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, with the help of the government machinery, has brought about a significant transformation in the lives of students in Gujarat. Prime Minister Modi ji initiated a campaign to make Gujarat's sons and daughters fully literate, acting as a guardian for them. The ‘Namo Lakshmi’ and ‘Namo Saraswati’ schemes are incentive-driven programs designed not only to ensure education up to the fifth grade but also to help students complete their education up to the 12th grade.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said a till few years ago, the dropout rate in Gujarat was around 37%. However, due to the ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ initiative of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, a campaign was launched to enroll both boys and girls in school. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi significantly transformed the lives of young people by increasing the school enrollment ratio in Gujarat from 67% to 99.8%. The dropout rate, which was once 37%, has now reduced to only 2%.

Shri Amit Shah said that the new education policy introduced by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has created multiple avenues for students. Through this policy, a science student with an interest in music can pursue music education, and similarly, a music student with an interest in science can study science. He further stated that since science is more closely linked to employment opportunities, the ‘Narendra Modi Science Sadhana Yojana’ was introduced to encourage and support students pursuing science subjects.

Union Home Minister said that the new education policy has been designed in such a way that the youth of Gujarat, as well as the entire country, can stand on the same platform as the youth of the world and compete with them. He added that Prime Minister Modi has worked to create an education policy with a multi-dimensional and all-round holistic approach, ensuring comprehensive development for students.

Shri Amit Shah stated that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has set a goal for India to become a fully developed nation by the year 2047. This goal can only be achieved when the country's youth make it their life's mission to transform India into the world's most prosperous and educated nation.

*****

RK/VV/ASH/PS