(MENAFN- IANS) Ahmedabad, July 28 (IANS) Gujarat's Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, Bhanu Babariya, conducted a computerised draw to select 665 beneficiaries under various self-employment and three-wheeler support schemes.

These schemes, implemented by the Gujarat Scheduled Caste Development Corporation, aim to provide low-interest financial assistance for small-scale ventures and vehicle purchases, promoting dignified livelihoods and entrepreneurship.

The selected beneficiaries will receive over Rs 7.32 crore in financial aid, enabling them to invest in tools, equipment, and vehicles necessary to kickstart or expand their businesses. The draw, which was live-streamed on YouTube to ensure complete transparency, was conducted for a target of 337 eligible recipients, from among whom 665 were shortlisted for document verification.

Speaking at the event, Minister Babariya emphasised that the state has prioritised social equity and empowerment, especially for historically marginalised communities. She noted that the schemes offer a crucial pathway for SC individuals to become self-reliant through micro-enterprises and sustainable livelihoods.

Present at the occasion were Rachit Raj, Managing Director of the SC Development Corporation; N.H. Gadhvi, Joint Secretary of the Social Justice and Empowerment Department, and other senior officials from the SC Welfare division.

According to the 2011 Census, Scheduled Castes (SC) in Gujarat number 40,74,447, making up approximately 6.74 per cent of the state's total population of around 6.04 crore.

The SC population comprises 21.10 lakh males and 19.64 lakh females, with a sex ratio of 931 females per 1,000 males within the SC community.

Among SC communities, the Mahyavanshi caste is the largest with over 16 lakh members, followed by Chamar/Bhambi (10.3 lakh), and Meghval/Meghewanshi (2.2 lakh).

Furthermore, district‐level data shows that SC households comprise around 6-12 per cent of rural household numbers in most regions; for example, SC households represent about 7.81 per cent in Ahmedabad, 11.44 per cent in Rajkot, and 10.59 per cent in Porbandar districts.

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