Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday decided to give scholarships to all students studying in over 500 Sanskrit schools in the state, doing away with the condition that their family income should be less than Rs 50,000 annually.

In a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, it was also decided to hike the scholarship amount for those in classes 9 to 12 in these schools.

The new scholarship amount ranges between Rs 50 and Rs 200 per month.

The scholarship has been revised after over two decades, an official statement said. The last revision in the amount was done in 2001.

After the meeting, Secondary Education Minister Gulab Devi said, "Since most of the children receiving Sanskrit education are from poor sections, a provision has been made now to provide scholarships to students of Prathama that is classes 6, 7 and 8 under Sanskrit education." The minister said that now, Rs 50 per month will be given to the children of class 6 and 7, and Rs 75 to the children of class 8.

Earlier, students of Purva Madhyama -- classes 9 and 10 -- were given a monthly scholarship of Rs 50 and children of Uttar Madhyama -- classes 11 and 12 -- were getting Rs 80 a month.

Now, the students of classes 9 and 10 will get Rs 100 per month and those studying in classes 11 and 12 will be given Rs 200.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna said that earlier, only the children of families with annual income up to Rs 50,000 were given scholarships, but now the income limit has been removed.

He said that at present there are 517 Sanskrit schools in the state in which 1,21,573 students are studying, who will be benefited from the implementation of the proposal.

Also, the revision will cost the exchequer over Rs 19.65 crore, Khanna added.

In the current financial year, applications for the scholarship scheme can be submitted offline and the online system will be implemented from the next financial year, the statement said.

Khanna said that in the cabinet meeting, 13 proposals have been passed.

Tourism Minister Jaiveer Singh said tourist houses of the department which are in loss or are on the verge of closure will be given to private management for 15 years and then for an extended period of 15 years.

This will provide better facilities to tourists, he said. 

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