Patna :

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on Friday called upon the members of Pan Swasi Chaupal Bunkar community, who were recently included in the list of scheduled caste (SC) by the state government, to educate all their children, either son or daughter, at least upto the twelfth standard to get the benefits of being SC.

“You can’t take benefit of the SC without being educated. Hence, send your children, either daughter of son, to school to take maximum benefits of government’s scheme,” Nitish said while addressing ‘Kabir Mahotsava’ organised by the Pan/ Swasi Chaupal Bunkar Utthan Sangh, at SK memorial hall here.

The CM also administered a pledge to all members of the community that they would send their children to school and also avoid child marriage.

CM further said, his government has decided to open a higher secondary school (upto +2 level) in each gram-panchayat, so that no poor family face difficulty in educating their wards up to the twelfth standard.

He said, “The Pan/ Swasi, Chaupal Bunkar community was earlier in the list of extremely backward classes. The community leaders have been giving representations to previous governments for including it in the SC category. But their representations were not heard properly by previous authorities.”

CM said, his government did not do any favour with the community by including it in the SC list. “We in fact did justice with you,” he said.

Sangh patron and former MLC Ravindra Kumar Tanti and other community leaders profusely thanked the CM for including the community in the SC list. “The community is heavily indebted for your kind gesture and we will return back this debt by extending support to you in next assembly elections,” they said. Some of the speakers also demanded ministerial birth for Ravindra Tanti if the secular alliance is voted to power in the state.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> India / by Madan Kumar, TNN / August 14th, 2015