Govt carrying out audit of post-matric scholarship scheme: Pb FM

The Punjab government is carrying out a comprehensive audit of the post-matric scholarship scheme for students belonging to SCs and OBCs after complaints, Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal said.

Manpreet while referring to complaints with regard to the grant of post-matric scholarship to students belonging to Scheduled Castes and OBCs, informed the Assembly that the state government is carrying out a comprehensive audit of the scheme.

"The audit involves 2,183 private institutions with 5,44,872 students and 2,126 government institutions with 5,82,139 students. By March 15 this year, we have completed the audit of about 47 per cent beneficiaries and an amount of Rs 329 crore under the said scheme has been pointed out as objectionable.

"However, we do realise that while this exercise goes on the students cannot be allowed to suffer, as such for this year, we have proposed an outlay of Rs 860 crore as against Rs 620 crore last year," he said while presenting the state budget for 2018-19.

Manpreet said for the empowerment of the Backward Classes, "we have increased the reservation quota for BCs from 5 per cent to 10 per cent for admissions in educational, technical and professional institutions.."