‘Centre withholding state’s share of scholarship funds for ST students’

MP, 1 Dec 2023, Kolkata: Bengal Minister of State for Tribal Development (Independent charge), Buluchik Baraik on Thursday criticised the Centre for withholding the state’s share of funds for pre-matric and post-matric scholarship for the Scheduled Tribes (ST) since the 2022-23 financial year. 

“The Centre is supposed to provide 75 per cent of the funds for scholarships with the state’s share being 25 per cent. However, since 2022-23 the Centre has not disbursed its share for such scholarship. They have cited technical issues for non-release. However, the state, on its own, has provided post-matric scholarships to 84363 ST students, accruing an expenditure of over Rs 45.32 crore. 

For pre-matric scholarship, the state has provided benefits to 25184 ST students entirely on its own,” Baraik said during the question-answer session at the state Assembly on Thursday. 

In the ongoing 2023-24 financial year, the state has received 21907 applications for post-matric scholarships and 19070 applications associated with pre-matric scholarships. In the 2021-22 fiscal year, 316 tribal students opting for study outside Bengal received post-matric scholarships with the state spending Rs 25.68 lakhs. 

In 2022-23, 80 students were identified for availing facilities of this scholarship for higher studies outside Bengal. Over 1.82 lakh students have received Sikshashree – the annual scholarships provided to scheduled caste and Indigenous students who are studying in the secondary labels in the 2022-23 fiscal with the state spending Rs 14.64 crores. In this ongoing 2023-24, 1.56 lakh have received assistance under the scheme with the state’s expenditure being over 12.47 crores.

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/centre-withholding-states-share-of-scholarship-funds-for-st-students-542492?infinitescroll=1