Nua-O Scholarship launched in Odisha to empower youths

Bhubaneswar: In a significant step towards youth empowerment, Kartik Pandian, Chairman of the 5T framework and Nabin Odisha, visited Sambalpur, Angul, and Deogarh Districts as per the directive of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. During his visit, he attended the Nua-O Scholarship Distribution Programme, interacting with students from 57 colleges across these districts.

The Nua-O Scholarship initiative, championed by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, aims to benefit all eligible PG and UG students from state government universities, government colleges, and non-government aided and unaided colleges. Under this program, General and OBC male and female students receive Rs. 9,000 and Rs. 10,000, respectively, while SC/ST and Nirman Shramik male and female students receive Rs. 10,000 and Rs. 11,000, respectively.

Pandian distributed Nua-O Scholarship Sanction Orders to 13,423 students from 21 colleges in Sambalpur district, 11,265 students from 25 colleges in Angul district, and 3,424 students from 11 colleges in Deogarh district. The total sanctioned amount for these three districts is Rs. 28.00 Crores, benefitting 28,112 students.

Expressing Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s message, Pandian conveyed his wishes for the students’ future, emphasizing that such initiatives contribute to realizing the dream of Nua Odisha. He envisioned the coming decade as the era of youth empowerment, where major interventions for engagement, empowerment, and development would be implemented.

Highlighting ongoing college transformation projects across the state, Kartik Pandian unveiled the next step in youth empowerment – the Nabin Odisha Magic Card. This smart card, based on a points system, aims to engage and empower the youth toward academic development, personality growth, skill development, and employment opportunities.

The Nabin Odisha Magic Card, a “Passport to Prosperity,” will be allotted and upgraded to Silver, Gold, and Platinum levels based on students’ performance in attendance, discipline, academic achievements, extracurricular activities, sports, online courses, and more. The card will offer various benefits, including travel concessions, access to recharge facilities, e-libraries, online courses, skill development opportunities, career counseling, and much more.

Kartik Pandian stated that the card would also facilitate job and placement opportunities, creating a platform for students to interact with the industry, integrate with the startup ecosystem, and encourage entrepreneurship. The government will actively collaborate with the private sector to enhance the card’s benefits for students.

The Chairman urged students and teachers to provide inputs for the points system, emphasizing that the Nabin Odisha Magic Card is a revolutionary concept towards youth engagement and empowerment. The online registration portal for the card will be launched on March 5, 2024, with distribution scheduled for August 15, 2024.