87,812 tribal students given scholarships
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 05 2018: Altogether 87,812 tribal students were given scholarships during 2017-18, said Tribal Affairs and Hills Director Joseph Pauline.

Speaking to media persons at the Moirangkhom complex of DIPR today, Joseph Pauline said that out of the total beneficiaries, 23,521 were pre-Matric students while 64,291 were post-Matric students.

Students studying outside the State are also given scholarship and they may submit application forms either online or in person.

Scholarship amount is greater for hostellers as compared to day scholars.

Likewise, students pursuing professional courses get higher scholarship than post-Matric students pursuing traditional course, said the Director.

The scholarship amount is funded 90 per cent by the Central Government and 10 per cent by the State Government.

Sometimes there was backlog in payment of scholarship as the State share was not released in time.

Nonetheless, the backlog amount was paid the next year and payment is made through DBT mode, he said.

Major functions and activities of Tribal Affairs and Hills Department include implementation of development programmes and welfare programmes for tribal people, protection of rights of tribal people and promotion of their culture and traditions, Joseph Pauline said.

Biometric attendance system has been introduced for teachers working at schools which function under Autonomous District Councils.

While the number of GCI sheets given to beneficiaries has been doubled, monetary assistance given to beneficiaries for construction of houses is now done through DBT except for 17 blocks which do not have banking facilities.

In addition to the existing three Eklavya Model Residential Schools, two more would be set up at Kamjong and Loktak Project and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has released around Rs 16 crore for each of these two schools.

The Ministry has also sanctioned funds for opening computer education/IT course under the six ADCs, he informed.

New health centres would be opened at Thingpuikuol in Churachandpur, Impa in Tamenglong, Chamu in Ukhrul and Kanjang in Senapati.

Under Tribal Sub-Plan, five ambulances have been allotted to the hill districts.

In collaboration with different institutes, the department has been organising skill development and paramedical course for tribal youth.

Moreover, the department has been constructing community halls and hostels for ST students.

Through the Tribal Research Institute, the department has been working to promote tribal dialects, literature, folk arts etc.

TA & Hills Deputy Secretary Maibam Kamala said that Rs 143 crore has been sanctioned for the six ADCs under the 14th Finance Commission.

The amount would be utilised in constructing/improving basic civic amenities, community assets and IVRs, Kamala said.

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