AP Govt introduces online scholarship sanction system

Hyderabad, Oct 30 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Government has introduced the system of online sanction of post-matric scholarships for the Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Backward Classes (BC) students in order to simplify the sanction process and ensure transparency and accountability.

Addressing a press conference here today, Commissioner of Social Welfare A Vidya Sagar said Andhra Pradesh Government was the only government in the country, which has introduced the online system for disbursement of scholarships and to transfer the amount directly to the students' account.

He said during 2008-09, 11.67 lakh applications were received online so far of which 10.10 lakh were fresh applications while the remaining were renewal of applications.

Dr Sagar said the District Officers would take up the work of sanctioning the fresh scholarship applications in the second week of November this year and submit the bills to the treasury from November 16 to 18.

After treasury passed the bills, the scholarship amount would be transferred to the student account by November 30 and the students would be able to draw the scholarships amount from first week of December this year, he added.

He said Field Officers had already verified 9.43 lakh applications and recommended 2.55 lakh applications.

He said the students could draw the money through ATMs of five nationalised banks, which included State Bank of India, State Bank of Hyderabad, Indian Bank, Andhra Bank and Syndicate Bank in the state.

The Commissioner said from 2008-09, the income limit for all SC, ST and BC students has been fixed at Rs one lakh to become eligible for scholarships.

The government sanctioned a budget provision of Rs 603 crore for SC student, Rs 90.20 crore for ST students and Rs 502 crore for BC students to distribute scholarships, he added.

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