Gujarat Budget 2023: From fintech hub to school vouchers, here's what budget has in store for education

Gandhinagar: A Fintech hub to promote education and startups, school vouchers to poor students and scholarships for marginalised students are some of the new education initiatives announced by the Gujarat government in its budget for the financial year 2023-24.

The Rs 3.01 lakh crore budget, presented by Finance Minister Kanubhai Desai, projected a 91% increase in capital expenditure. This was the first budget of the new BJP government headed by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel which took office in December after assembly elections.

The financial statement includes an outlay of Rs 334 crore as a subsidy on the purchase of uniforms to nearly 37 lakh primary students of scheduled caste (SC), other backward caste (OBC), economically weaker section (EWS) and minority communities. Another provision of Rs 376 crore has been made to provide scholarships to 40 lakh SC and OBC students.

Desai said that a 'Fintech Hub' will be established with the support of Asian Development Bank at the GIFT City in Gandhinagar "with an objective to improve the quality of Fin-Tech education and research and to promote Fin-Tech startups." The state government allocated Rs 76 crore for the project.

To help students from poor family backgrounds, the government has made a provision of Rs 50 crore for providing school vouchers of Rs 20,000 every year to talented students who have completed their studies under RTE scheme till class 8. With this assistance, such students can pursue studies in private schools after class 8.