Social Justice Ministry without funds for SC scholarship scheme

New Delhi, Oct 6 (UNI) The implementation of the ambitious Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students is suffering for lack of funds.

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment which is responsible for execution of the schemes, set to benefit 25 lakh students across the country annually, has no funds to give its share to states, sources told UNI.

Under the scheme, 100 per cent central assistance is provided to states over and above their committed liability which means the expenditure incurred by states on the scheme in the last year of the last five-year plan.

However, with effect from the ninth Plan, the committed liability has been dispensed with for the north-eastern states.

The demands of states require approximately over Rs 700 crore at present. The expenditure of states under the scheme has gone up in recent years due to increase in the cost of education and wider coverage of the SC population.

Several states like Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Rajasthan etc have been persistently nagging the Ministry to release its share. The Ministry has approached the Planning Commission and other departments concerned in this connection.

If there is further delay by the Centre in providing funds, the schemes would suffer a great set back, the states have told the Ministry, according to sources.

Post-Matric scholarships are sanctioned to SC students studying in various courses in recognised colleges and universities after SSLC for both day scholars and hostellers at different rates prescribed by the Centre.

All those whose parents' income does not exceed 1.1 lakh annually are eligible for applying for the scholarship. There are no restrictions of merit.

The financial assistance under the scholarship includes maintenance allowance, reimbursement of compulsory non-refundable fees charged by the institution, study tour charges, book allowance for students pursuing correspondence courses and additional allowance for students with disbilities etc.

The Ministry runs a post-matric scholarship for Other Backward Classes(OBCs) too.

These scholarships are awarded through the government of the state where the beneficiary belongs to. The assistance is given for study in recognised institutions.

Under this scheme too, 100 per cent central assistance is provided to states over and above their committed liability.

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