SC/BC students find it difficult to get govt grant

Sunday, 09/09/2012

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120909/punjab.htm#1

Ferozepur : The order issued by the Education Department for releasing scholarship to post-matric Schedule Caste and Backward Class (SC/BC) students by way of credit to their bank accounts is proving impractical.

With such category of students finding it difficult to open a bank account, funds earmarked for this purpose will lapse if not disbursed by the end of the year.

Sources said the orders were necessitated to avoid misappropriation while disbursing the scholarship amount in cash. There were allegations that the money was either pocketed by disbursing officials or released only after some “facilitation fee” was paid.

Jaswant Singh, chief of the Education Reforms Committee, said the department took policy decisions after getting suggestions from the schools. But the suggestions remained only on paper and were hardly followed, he added.

The post-matric scholarship to SC students, having family income up to Rs 1 lakh per annum, has been fixed at Rs 140 per month plus Rs 558 per annum. In the BC category, the scholarship is Rs 160 per month for students with family income of Rs 1 lakh. An additional Rs 50 per month is given to girl students having a family income up to Rs 60,925 per annum.

The scholarship amount is to be given to 15-20 lakh students through online banking system.

Jaswant Singh said teachers of 20,000 primary schools of the state had been trying to open the bank accounts of these students since June 2012. But despite their efforts, the accounts of not even 50 per cent of the students had been opened till date, he said.

"Without ID proof, the accounts cannot be opened and none of the banks is ready to open the accounts with 'zero balance'. Moreover, there are certain branches in villages which do not have the core-banking system (CBS), further affecting the exercise," he added.

"The scheme is thus rendered almost defunct as a large number of beneficiaries have not been receiving a single penny for a long period," he claimed.

The committee has urged the department to release the amount directly to the schools against a receipt as per the previous practice to avoid the lapse of funds till the time all accounts are opened. At the same time, alternative arrangements have to be made for students residing in areas where the core-banking facility is unavailable, it said. 

The reason

 The Education Department has issued directions for release of scholarship amount by way of credit to the bank accounts of all beneficiaries

 Students are finding it difficult to complete formalities for opening a bank account. None of the banks is ready to open accounts with "zero balance"