ADILABAD: The `Giri Unnat Vidya' programme to extend financial support for higher education of girls belonging to aboriginal tribes will be launched at Marlavai village in Jainoor mandal of Adilabad district on October 2.

Rajya Sabha member Jairam Ramesh will launch the programme and

120 girls from the eight `Giri Pragathi' mandals of Adilabad, Warangal and Khammam districts will be present.

The brainchild of Mr. Ramesh envisages community-based funding of higher education of 100 tribal girls from each of the mandals of Jainoor, Sirpur (U) and Indervelli in Adilabad, Narsampet and Gudur in Warangal and Chintur, Kunavaram and VR Puram in Khammam. The programme is spread over the next five years. Mr. Ramesh will also contribute Rs. 15,000 every month during the period.

The Giri Pragathi Director, Dr. Thodsam Chandu says the Unnat Vidya programme has been linked with respective communities from the selection of students to the monitoring of their studies.

"The mandal samakhyas, a group of self help group women will select the most needy students. They will be given `educational loan' to the tune of Rs. 400 per month at Intermediate level, Rs. 500 per month at graduation level and Rs. 700 at post-graduation level. For the professional courses the group will fund to the extent of money required, " revealed Dr. Chandu. The students should remit half their yearly scholarship amounts towards repayment of the educational loan. The remaining amount can be repaid after the students gets a job or starts earning," he added. The most interesting part of the exercise is the memorandum of understanding between the parents and the mandal samakhya. The parents will give a commitment for not marrying off their daughters until she completes her education.

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