Not a single penny left for students' cash incentive
Govt to take up alternative means for giving incentive next year: Okendro
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, March 07, 2014:
The Education Department would not be in a position to fulfill the promises made by the State Government for the welfare of the students.
Earlier in 2009, the State Government decided to award cash incentive to those students who score high marks in HSLC and Higher Secondary Examinations conducted by Board of Secondary Education, Manipur (BSEM) and Council of Higher Secondary Education Manipur (COHSEM) respectively.
Unfortunately, the Government has stopped giving the cash incentive for the last three years, thus owing an amount of more than Rs.3 crore to the meritorious students.
But, there is not a single penny left in the accounts of State Education Department.
According to a reliable source, the total budgetary allocation of Education (S) Department is only about Rs.60 lakh for the current financial year.
After giving out the State's share in the implementation of mid-day meal, Sarva Shikshya Abhiyan, Sainik School and other educational schemes, the Department is left with only Rs.14 lakh which is to be used till the end of this financial year.
The source further mentioned that there are 15,020 Government schools in the State.
If the remaining budget amount of Rs.14 lakh is distributed among the schools, then each school would get just a little above Rs.1000. Moreover, the State Government would require about Rs.1.8 crore for giving cash incentive to the meritorious students of BSEM and COHSEM examinations annually.
Above all, due to pendency in giving away the cash incentive for three years from 2011 to 2013, the State Government would now have to spend more than Rs.5 crore besides a sum of about Rs.2 crore for the students' incentive awards for this year.
Considering the financial position of the Education Department, the due amount of Rs.7 crore for the students' cash incentive is unlikely to be cleared even in the next financial year 2014-15. Acting on the recent report of Hueiyen Lanpao regarding missing of Rs.3 crore for awarding cash incentive to meritorious students, Education Minister M Okendro has called a report from the officials concerned.
As per the submission of SRO/DDO (Valley) to Education Minister, an amount of Rs.1,73,62,000 was sanctioned vide Government Order No.2/13/2011-SE(S)Pt-B dated 31/03/2012.Since the sanctioned order was issued late on March 31, 2012, the relevant bills could not be submitted to the Treasury Office.
The Treasury Officer concerned issued �Non Submission Certificate� of the bill for the sanction order in question vide letter No.04/STO-m/NP/90 dated 22/05/2012.Therefore, the amount of Rs.1,73,62,000 meant for payment of cash incentive awards to 13,471 meritorious students of Class X & XII was neither encashed nor lying in the DDO's accounts.
Owing to financial constraints faced by the State, only an amount of Rs.17.50 lakh was available for the purpose for the year 2012-13.Government did not accord sanction for the amount for the purpose.
As such, liability of an amount ranging between Rs.5 to7 crore has accumulated for payment of incentives to meritorious students over the past three years without possibility of sufficient fund even in Budget Estimates, 2014-15, the report mentioned.
Talking to Hueiyen Lanpao on this matter, Education Minister Okendro clarified that the incentive amount for students is not missing.
The cash incentive awards could not be disbursed to the students due to poor financial condition.
The State Government would take up alternative means to give away the cash incentives next year, he assured.
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