Backward Class Welfare

The Backward Classes Welfare Department, Purulia is entrusted with various welfare activities for the people of SC, ST and OBC communities. The main focus of this department is on educational and economic upliftment of the people belonging to Backward Classes living in this district.

Educational Schemes 

The Backward Classes Welfare Department assist the poor Scheduled Caste / Scheduled Tribe students in prosecuting studies at pre and post matric stages. The OBCs also have been brought within the purview of some such schemes.

Ashram Hostel

Ashram Hostels for both SC/ST boy and girl students are set up with Government assistance within the campus of the recognized schools. Students reading in Class I to VIII usually get admission to such hostels subjects to availability of seats. The students of Class IX and X are also accommodated in hostels where the Junior High Schools have been upgraded to High Schools. These are called Ashram Hostels since the SC/ST students are intended to grow up in the serene environment of Ashram under proper care and guidance.

For maintenance of the students the hostel authorities are paid at the rate of Rs. 750/- per student for 12 months i.e. full academic year. (The rate has been increased to Rs. 750.00 p.m. from 01.02.2010). In addition to that they are given cots, bedrolls, garments, soap and kerosene where possible out of the fund made available by the Department. There is a ceiling of Parents/Guardian’s Income of Rs. 36,000/- p.a. The students are requested to communicate with their respective Head of the Institution as one of the member of the Hostel Advisory Committee for new adm ission. The total present seat capacity of the hostels is 1180.  

Achievement of the District is given below:

Centrally Sponsored Pre-Matric Scholarship to the Children of those engaged in Unclean Occupation

The beneficiaries of this scheme are the students whose parents are flayers, tanners, scavengers or engaged in similar other profession. The day scholars and hostellers of this category also get grants but the rates are a little les than what the SC/ ST students get. The students are requested to communicate with their respective Municipality/Panchayat office to collect form.

Achievement of the District is given below:

Feeder School:

An English Medium School has been running as feeder school in this District from 2004-2005 for tribal students who have joined Class I in 2004-2005. They will be studying till class V in the feeder school so that they may join the Ekalabya Model Residential Schools from Class VI. The School has a capacity of 200 students @ 40/- each in class I to V. From this year 38 nos. ST students have got admission in class VI at EMRS, Susunia.

Pandit Raghunath Murmu Abasik Vidalaya:

Backward Classes Welfare Department in the Government of West Bengal has approved two residential schools for SC/ST students in the district of Purulia from Class V-XII in the name of Pundit Raghunath Murmu, eminent cultural reformer and inventor of “Olchiki” script in the Santali language.

The 2 (two) schools, one at Talberia of Santuri Block and another at Dhaska of Bagmundih Block have already been running out of which construction of Dhaska Pandit Raghunathpur Murmu Abasik Vidyalaya is going on. Construction of Talberia  Pandit Raghunathpur Murmu Abasik Vidyalaya will be started later on.

(Source: PO cum DWO, BCW, Purulia)