No utilisation certificates for `800 crore, Centre holds up `1,100 cr scholarship funds
Thursday, 14/09/2017
http://epaper.dailypostindia.com/Details.aspx?id=180872&boxid=59444&uid=&dat=2017-09-14
Chandigarh: The Central government has stopped the release of Rs 1,100 crore to Punjab for not providing utilisation certificates (UCs) for Rs 800 crore used in the past under the Post-Matric Scholarship schemes. The amount was to be released for the education of SC and BC students studying in different educational institutes of Punjab. According to information, Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh had written to the Union Government three times in a month in this regard, but in vain.
“Instead of releasing the funds, the Central government has not given any reply to the letters,” said sources. Finally, the Minister of Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes Welfare, Punjab Sadhu Singh Dharmosot, is going to meet Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Thawar Chand Gahlot on Thursday and sort out the issue. According to information, all types of expenditure for the education of SC and BC students are given by the Union Government under the Post-Matric scholarship scheme.
However, during 2015-16 only 60 per cent of the grant was released by the Central government. In the year 2016-17, no fund was released to Punjab. The new session of the year 2017-18 has begun. At present, there is an outstanding of Rs 1,150 crore towards the Centre for the year of 2015-16 and 2016-17.
Main points
The Central government released Rs 1,100 crore to Punjab for the Post Matric scholarship scheme three years ago.
Utilisation certificate of Rs 300 crore was submitted, but not for the rest of Rs 800 crore
