Jalandhar, October 26
Former Punjab BJP President and former Union Minister Vijay Sampla said that the Union Government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has taken several significant steps for the welfare of Punjab’s Scheduled Caste communities, covering education, skill development, employment, entrepreneurship, rural development and healthcare assistance. He was speaking informally after paying floral tributes to Bhagwan Valmiki on the occasion of Valmiki Jayanti.
Sampla stated that ₹173.69 crore was released to Punjab under the Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana between 2022-23 and 2025-26, including ₹90.94 crore in 2025-26. An additional ₹17.80 crore has been released so far in 2026-27. Under the Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana, 3,763 villages were identified, with more than five lakh Scheduled Caste residents living in these villages. As of October 2026, 327 villages had been developed as Adarsh Grams. The scheme was also expanded to cover 1,500 additional SC-majority villages across 11 states.
Sampla said that 3.69 lakh students benefited from the post-matric scholarship scheme and 5.07 lakh students from the pre-matric scholarship scheme between 2020 and 2023. In 2024-25, ₹322.44 crore was released for 205,605 students under the post-matric scholarship scheme. In 2025-26, ₹333.37 crore was released for 163,066 students under the same scheme. Under the pre-matric scholarship scheme, ₹26.47 crore was provided for 125,119 students in 2025-26.
Under SHRESHTA, 108 students secured admission to residential schools. Meanwhile, ₹1.04 crore was sanctioned for 100 beneficiaries at the Central University of Punjab under the Dr. Ambedkar Centre of Excellence initiative.
Sampla further stated that ₹19.40 crore was sanctioned and ₹19.25 crore disbursed to five companies owned by SC entrepreneurs under the Venture Capital Fund. Through NSFDC, 21,756 individuals benefited, while ₹24.31 crore was provided to 1,553 beneficiaries in 2025-26. Under Stand-Up India, ₹76.41 crore was sanctioned for 388 SC accounts. Assistance for training, interest relief and medical treatment was also provided through the PM-DAKSH, Vishwas and Dr. Ambedkar Medical Aid schemes.
Speaking about the Valmiki community, Sampla said that ₹6.40 crore in central assistance was provided for Bhagwan Valmiki Tirath Sthal in Amritsar. Under the Swachhta Udyami Yojana, ₹7.92 crore supported 22 pay-and-use toilet facilities and 22 sanitation vehicles.
Under the NAMASTE scheme, 4,465 sewer and septic tank workers and 3,765 waste pickers were registered in Punjab. Of the identified manual scavengers, 231 received cash assistance, 62 received training and 46 received capital subsidies.
In 2025-26, compensation of ₹37 lakh each was facilitated in three cases involving sewer-related deaths. Between 2022 and 2024, 494 sanitation workers in Punjab were certified and 256 secured employment. From 2020 to 2024, 8,892 individuals received training under the PM-DAKSH scheme.
Sampla said that the 104th Constitutional Amendment Act extended the reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes until January 25, 2030. He said the Modi government had connected the SC community with dignity and opportunities. Naming the airport in Ayodhya after Maharishi Valmiki was an example of this recognition and respect. He added that he had served as a Union Minister of State from 2014 to 2019 and as Chairperson of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes from 2021 to 2023. Som Parkash had served as a Union Minister of State from 2019 to 2024.
