ATSUM decries non-payment of scholarship to religious minorities
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Kangpokpi, June 30 2014: Officials of MOBC and MOBED have intentionally withheld payment of Pre-Matric Scholarships to students of religious minorities, All Tribal Students' Union Manipur (ATSUM) alleged today.

Kakam Haokip, Education Secretary ATSUM said that after proper and minute investigation, the student body has found out that the non-release and non-payment of Pre-Matric Scholarships for Religious Minorities is intentional.

For the year 2010-11, a total of 2415 students were selected for the scholarships and the amount to be given was Rs.1,15,63,000/-, and for the year 2011-12, number of students students selected for the same was 1012 with the total sanction amount of Rs.50,20,000/-, Kakam pointed out, while adding that for the year 2012-13, a total of 6666 students were selected with Rs.3,14,22,000/- as sanction amount.

Saying that 10,093 students were selected with total sanction amount of Rs.4,80,05,000/- during the last three years, the Education Secretary of ATSUM questioned the concerned department why there is delay in payment to the religious minority students when the Scheduled Caste students have been paid even for the year 2014 .

Non release of scholarships on the pretext of re-verification or recheck after they have been selected by the department three years back is just an excuse, he asserted and asked why the forms were issued if the students were not to be paid.

While the department is earning lakhs of rupees from mere selling of forms, students spend Rs.400 -500 for applying scholarships, Kakam Haokip lamented, before adding that some students who applied in 2010 are now in colleges, with some already married and some must have even expired.

The Education Secretary also said a new verification cannot be ordered just because the Scheme Officer has been changed and wondered how the signature of a class-II student be the same after four years.

"ATSUM will not accept any re-verification in the case", Kakam made in clear and urged the department to release the scholarships for the selected students and put up in its website at the earliest.

If necessary procedure is not done within one week, ATSUM will have no other option and the said officers have to bear responsibility for any eventuality, cautioned ATSUM.

If the pending scholarships are not released immediately, the Director and the Deputy Director/Scheme Officer will be held responsible, Kakam added.

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