The Centre will on Monday launch SRESHTA scheme for socio-economic upliftment and overall development of Scheduled Castes students by providing quality residential education to meritorious students in reputed private schools.

       Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Virendra Kumar on Thursday said the Residential Education for Students in High Schools in Targeted Areas (SRESHTA) scheme will enable meritorious SC students to have a better future and aid in controlling dropout rates of students from classes 9 to 12.

       He said the government is all set to celebrate Mahaparinirvan Divas' in remembrance of Dr B R Ambedkar on Monday as part of the 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav with several events planned throughout the day.

       Elaborating on the day's plan, the minister said the programmes will begin at Parliament House, where the president and prime minister will pay floral tributes to Baba Saheb's statue, followed by Buddhist monks reciting Dhamma Puja, and then special songs dedicated to Ambedkar will be performed in the parliament by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting's Song and Drama Division.

       Talking about the SRESHTA scheme, he said, "This will enable bright SC students to have a better future by getting high quality education, aid in controlling dropout rates of SC students from class 9th to 12th.

       In the next five years, the ministry has decided to extend support to 24,800 meritorious SC students, involving Rs 300 crore approximately, for providing them quality residential education from classes 9 to 12 in reputed private residential schools in aspirational districts identified by NITI Aayog," he said

       Kumar said he will also launch the special book published by the Dr Ambedkar International Centre, named Social Justice and Empowerment: Reflections from Dr. Ambedkar Chairs', and also release a brochure based on Ambedkar's Panchteerth, schemes and scholarships for Scheduled Caste students by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

       Programmes relating to Mahaparinirvana Diwas will be held at various Ambedkar Chairs, Ambedkar Bhawans, and Ambedkar Parks, in addition to Parliament House and the Dr Ambedkar International Center and Dr Ambedkar National Memorial, where Pratima Bhowmick, Minister of State of Social Justice and Empowerment will preside, he said.

       Kumar said evets will also be held by the Ministry of External Affairs at the Dr. Ambedkar Memorial in London. District level programmes across the country shall also be held as per communication to chief secretaries/principals/secretaries and others.

       The documentary film based on Panchteerth will also be screened live by the Dr Ambedkar International Centre, he added.

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