Guwahati, Dec 1 (IANS): Assam government will soon introduce a scheme under which all female students pursuing post-graduate courses in the state will be provided a yearly stipend of Rs 10,000 each, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Wednesday.

"This would be helpful in covering their commutation and other related expenses," Sarma said.

The Chief Minister appealed to the female students pursuing PG courses to apply for getting the stipend in the portal to be launched by the Department of Education for the purpose in a few weeks from now.

On Wednesday, Sarma also distributed scooters to meritorious candidates who cleared the last higher secondary examination conducted by the Assam Higher Secondary Education Council with a percentage above a certain threshold at a ceremony held in Guwahati.

A total of 35,800 beneficiaries, of which 6,052 are boys and 29,748 are girls, have got scooters from the state government.

To be eligible for the award, the male candidates had to score a minimum of 75 per cent in higher secondary examination, while for female candidates the cut-off was fixed at 60 per cent.

On Wednesday, the two-wheelers were distributed to the eligible candidates from Kamrup (Metro) and Kamrup districts.