Punjab governor seeks report on non-payment of scholarships

Taking cognisance of reports about more than two lakh scheduled caste (SC) students being forced to drop out of colleges due to non-payment of scholarships by the state government, Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit. on Thursday, sought a comprehensive report on this matter at the earliest.
In a letter to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, the Governor said, “If it is correct, it would be the most reprehensible violation of constitutional rights of SC students and grave injustice to them.”
The National Commission for Scheduled Caste (NCSC) said on Wednesday said around two lakh students from the SC category dropped out of college due to non-payment of dues under post-matric scholarship scheme worth around Rs 2,000 crore by the Punjab government,
NCSC Chairperson Vijay Sampla had sought an explanation from the state government as to why the money has not been paid to colleges despite the payment of dues by the Centre.
“We have taken a suo moto cognisance in the matter. There have been many complaints from SC students that they are not being allowed in colleges as the government has not paid their fees. There were around three lakh SC students who benefited from the scheme in 2017 and the number dropped to 1-1.25 lakh in 2020. When we asked the state government, they said these children dropped out,” he said.
Sampla said that a meeting was held on Monday between the Union social justice and empowerment ministry and Punjab government to discuss the matter.
“In the meeting, it came to light that no dues from the Centre are there while the state government has to pay dues worth Rs 2000 crore to pay to these colleges. Where has the money gone that is due,” he said.
Sampla said the Punjab government has been asked to give an explanation by next Wednesday.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann last week ordered a comprehensive probe into alleged irregularities in the post-matric scholarship scheme that had surfaced during the previous Congress regime in the state.