Latest News | Ensure Timely Disbursement of Scholarship: Minister Tells Officials

Kohima, Jul 7 (PTI) Nagaland Higher Education Minister Temjen Imna Along on Tuesday said the state government's endeavour is to ensure timely disbursement of scholarship to students with zero tolerance against corruption.

Speaking to media persons in the Directorate of Higher Education here, Along said in the past the department has faced various litigation on charges of corruption in disbursement of scholarships.

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"The ardent endeavour of the People's Democratic Alliance (PDA) government is to ensure timely disbursement of the scholarship and also zero tolerance against any form of corruption in the different scholarship schemes," he said

Along directed the department officials to ensure that scholarship amounts are disbursed in a transparent manner and to the rightful beneficiaries.

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On All Nagaland College Students Union (ANCSU) president Vimeyiekho Vitso informing that since 2014 till date around 860 students have not collected their cheques amounting to Rs 38,58,304, the minister urged the students to claim the unclaimed cheques saying that if it is not claimed within a certain period the department will revert the money to the funding agencies Central ministry, state government and NEC.

He also asked the department to make a last appeal to those who have not claimed the scholarship amount.

Replying to media persons on how the department has issued utilisation certificate to the Ministry for the unclaimed scholarship amount, Along clarified that the amount though unclaimed has been shown as utilized but is safely kept in the current account deposits of the department, adding that no one can withdraw the said amount.

The minister appealed to all the Naga underground groups not to demand anything from the Higher Education department as this is not a welfare department but works for the students community.

"Even though their (underground groups) needs may be many but this department should be exempted from any kind of demands... as this department works solely and wholly for the students welfare and we appeal that any kind of demands be blotted out from the higher education department," he said. OSD (Scholarship) Keduosielie Keyho said that the Directorate of Higher Education Nagaland is implementing three Scholarship schemes.

The schemes are Post Matric Scholarship for ST students of Nagaland, with a funding pattern of 90:10 between the Central and State government, he said, adding that for the year 2019-20, a total of 39,975 students of Nagaland has been awarded Rs 19,39,68,000 as the first instalment .

State Merit and Research Scholarships fully funded by the state government and the NEC Stipend and Book Grant funded by North Eastern Council and State government in the 90:10 pattern, he said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)