The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Just Rs. 5.60 a meal for nursing students

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Friday, Feb 18, 2011
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Just Rs. 5.60 a meal for nursing students

Staff Reporter

Bangalore: Members of the Karnataka State Recognised Nursing Schools' Federation have urged the Social Welfare Department to increase the annual stipend awarded to SC/ST government nursing and midwifery students from Rs. 31,650 to Rs. 76,400.

Addressing presspersons on Thursday, federation president N.S. Raju said the existing stipend includes expenses for food, accommodation, tution fee and uniforms for the students.

There are 670 schools in the State and as many as 4,000 students are studying here, he said.

“This amount is too low and we are unable to manage the overall expenses of students with the meagre stipend,” he said.

Elaborating, Mr. Raju said: “According to the break-up of various allowances provided as part of the stipend by the department, the monthly food allowance given to the students is just Rs. 510. This works out to Rs. 17 per day or Rs. 5.60 per meal for each student. We are not even able to meet the food expenses for ten days.”

Warning

If the stipend is not increased, the schools would be forced to close down, he warned.

The federation has also submitted memoranda to the Chief Minister, Social Welfare Minister and Commissioner for Social Welfare.

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