Bihar’s Nitish Kumar government today approved a scheme under which it will give Rs 1 lakh as assistance to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes students who crack the civil services preliminary tests conducted by the UPSC, an official said.

The scheme – Anusuchit Jati Evam Anusuchit Janjati Yojana – was approved by the state cabinet during a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Kumar.

Addressing a press meet, Chief Secretary Anjani Kumar Singh said “likewise, an assistance of Rs 50,000 will be given to SC/ST students who clear the PT (preliminary test) for civil services exams conducted by the Bihar Public Services Commission (BPSC)”.

“Preparations for civil services exams, whether those conducted by the UPSC or the BPSC, often require candidates to move away from their home towns to places with better study facilities. The move is aimed at helping bright aspirants concentrate on their studies without worrying about expenses”, Singh said.

“The money will be transferred directly into accounts of the eligible candidates and the entire amount will be paid in a single instalment,” the chief secretary, accompanied by Principal Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat Department, Arun Kumar Singh, and Secretary SC/ST Welfare Deparment Prem Singh Meena, said.

Another measure aimed at helping SC/ST students approved by the cabinet was an assistance of Rs 1,000 per month to “to all boys and girls from the community who may be studying while putting up in hostels meant for the SCs and STs”, Singh said.

The aforementioned assistance will be a part of the Mukhyamantri Anusuchit Jati Evam Janjati Chhatravas Yojana, he said.

“Nod was also given for extending the benefits of schemes run under the Bihar Mahadalit Vikas Mission to all SC/ST families across the state,” Singh said.

The announcement that all SCs and STs would be getting benefits earlier reserved only for Mahadalits (poorest among Dalits) was made by the chief minister at a function organised by Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, whose Lok Janshakti Party is an alliance partner in the ruling coalition in the state.

The move had caused anxiety among opponents such as Hindustani Awam Morcha founder Jitan Ram Manjhi, who recently broke away from the NDA to join the Congress-RJD combine.

Manjhi, a former CM of Bihar, had issued a statement alleging the Kumar’s pro-Dalit stance was tantamount to shedding “crocodile tears” ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.