Chennai: Nearly 90% of students at risk of dropping out said the 1,000 monthly assistance under the Tamil Puthalvan scheme helped them continue their higher education, says a report prepared by the Tamil Nadu State Planning Commission (TNSPC).The finding was part of 15 special reports prepared by the commission, which were submitted by deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, who also serves as vice-chairman of the commission, and executive vice-chairman J Jeyaranjan to chief minister M K Stalin on Tuesday. According to the report, most of the 8,278 beneficiaries assessed used the 1,000 monthly support for college fees, books and transportation. This helped ease financial pressure on low-income families and enabled them to remain in college. The commission prepared more than 100 reports during the present tenure, covering a wide range of sectors from agriculture, health urban development and industry to rural development, water management and public finance. The reports are aimed at guiding the govt in policymaking.The commission also assessed the Illam Thedi Kalvi 2.0 programme across 13 districts, covering 1,102 students from 79 schools. The evaluation found that the initiative strengthened foundational learning skills while improving student engagement and attendance.
