Cong: CM misusing scholarship funds
Friday, 23/09/2011
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20110923/punjab.htm#4
The Punjab Congress today accused Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal of distributing Rs 50 crore, received from the Centre for the post-matric scholarship scheme, at Sangat Darshan programmes in July.
Congress leaders Sunil Jakhar and Lal Singh released letters received from the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, stating that the govt had released Rs 58 crore to Punjab in March towards central assistance for the scholarship scheme for SC students for 2010-11. Jakhar said the money received by the Punjab Government was not distributed among the three lakh eligible students who were to get Rs 2,300 each per year.
He showed replies by the state government, claiming it had not received the money. He said the Centre had released another monetary aid of Rs 16 crore under the scheme for the current financial year. He claimed the government had distributed this amount, but had “forgotten” about the earlier Rs 58 crore lying with it.
Lal Singh said the Chief Minister had distributed Rs 50 crore in Muktsar, Malout, Gidderbaha, Nabha and Patiala between July 7 and July 25. This was done solely to please local Akali jathedars, even though the government knew that lakhs of students were waiting for this money since the past six months. The leaders claimed that the government had not given scholarship money to students from Backward Classes for three years now.
They said 2.5 lakh minority community students, under which the Sikhs were covered too, were also awaiting scholarship under the pre-matric scholarship scheme.
Taking on govt
Cong accuses Badal of distributing the funds at Sangat Darshan functions
Says CM distributed Rs 50 crore in Muktsar, Malout, Gidderbaha, Nabha and Patiala between July 7 and July 25, just to please local Akali jathedars
This, it says, was done even though the govt knew that lakhs of students were waiting for the money since the past six months
Alleges that scholarship money to students from Backward Classes not paid for three years now
