Odisha CM asks Centre to release funds for scholarship scheme

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today wrote to the Centre to expedite release of the central share in the post-matric scholarship scheme for tribal and dalit students.

Patnaik wrote separate letters to Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram and Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Thaawar Chand Gehlot in this regard.

"I would request your personal intervention for early release of funds towards post-matric scholarship for scheduled tribe students," the chief minister wrote to Oram.

Odisha government expected release of Rs 439.62 crore from the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment for post matric scholarship of scheduled caste students, while an amount of Rs 118.06 crore has been pending for release by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

Together, the state government wanted immediate release of Rs 557.68 crore by the ministries for the post matric scholarship of ST and SC students, officials said.

"It is a matter of great concern that no fund towards post-matric scholarship have been released by the ministries for the financial years 2016-17 and 2017-18," he said.

However, Patnaik said in order to ensure that the dalit and tribal students are not put to financial hardship, the state government has been providing scholarship to the students from the state's own resources.

Patnaik said in the latter that such huge outstanding receivable are putting financial burden to the already stretched revenue resources of the state government.

The state government has been repeatedly requesting the ministries to release the funds towards scholarship, Patnaik said.

The post-matric scholarship scheme is a centrally sponsored scheme in which the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment provides 100 per cent assistance over and above the committed liability of the state, Patnaik said.

In case of tribal students, the funds are share on 75:25 ratio between the Centre and the State.