Centre releases Rs 41.25 Cr for disbursing scholarship to ST students: Meghalaya education minister

 The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has released Rs 41.25 crore as second instalment for disbursing of the post matric scholarships to Scheduled Tribe students of Meghalaya during the current financial year 2023-24.

Informing this on Friday, Education Minister Rakkam A Sangma said, “We have received today Rs 41.25 crore as second instalment for disbursing the post matric scholarships to (over 30,000) students.”

“We are processing and we will try to disburse the scholarship to all students by next week,” he said.

He informed that the first instalment of funds for the post matric scholarship was already released to 37,000 out of 67,000 students in the state.

“I thank the chief minister and the ministry and I appreciate the students for rasing the issue. I urge the students to use the scholarship meaningfully for their academic purposes,” Sangma said.

On the allegation against the state government, the education minister said, “You can see at the sanction order, the ministry has sanctioned Rs 41.25 crore today (January 12). Therefore, the question of delaying on the part of the state government does not arise.”

Appealing to the students to focus on their academic career, Sangma said, “The will try its best to complete the process and government is shouldering the responsibility seriously and also I would like to request my dear students to shoulder their own responsibility in carrying their own academic career for the pride and future of our state.”

Stating that Meghalaya is still lacking behind in producing IAS, IPS aspirants for the last few years, the education minister said, “This kind of statement, instead of demoralising, should challenge the brilliant students of the state. If students from Bihar, Gujarat, Assam, Arunachal can do so, why not from Meghalaya. This challenge should be in every student. I request teachers while giving education to our students, concept is very important and therefore, as I am also a teacher, our students should be briefed well with the concept of the topic and the subject.”