HYDERABAD: TRS party has been making statements laying claim on the party adhering to norms of social justice and empowerment but when it was in power, the Telangana government did not release as much as Rs 201 crore of Post Metric scholarship Scheme for students belonging to Backward Classes for over 12 months of the 2017-2018 academic year. The students are demanding that the government release the scholarships dues.
The students of backward class community allege that the Telangana government has failed to release the Post Metric Scholarships Scheme (PMSS) of maintenance charges or mess charges of students. When contacted, the Backward Classes Welfare department officials claim that the file on Post Metric Scholarships applications have been cleared and been forwarded to the finance department who is yet to release the funds.
V Mahesh, a PG in Kakatiya University in Warangal, has been waiting for six months for his 2017-2018 academic year scholarship. “While checking the status of scholarship on e-pass website ‘telanganaepass.cgg.gov.in’ the amount Rs 4,550 is sanctioned, but the application is pending at the Treasury,” he said. He said that the “students are coming from different districts for higher education with the scholarship in the university.” The university officials have not allocated the hostel facilities for students from the backward classes forcing them to spend Rs 1,500 from their pocket for private hostels every month, Mahesh alleged.
Further, he alleged that SC welfare community students were receiving the scholarships in time from the government. “Why is the government showing neglect towards Backward Class students,” Mahesh questioned.
Speaking to Express, R Krishnaiah, the president of National Backward Class Welfare Association, alleged that the Telangana government was intentionally not releasing the budget for backward students’ education. “Earlier the government had invested Rs 10,000 crore on sheep distribution and released the budget for the scheme. Why is the government neglecting BC students’ education. We demand the government release the pending funds immediately,” Krishnaiah said.
Meanwhile, Anitha Rajendra, the Commissioner for Backward Classes Welfare, responded by saying that her department had completed the process of sanctioning scholarship for eligible students and submitted the file to finance department for release of budget. “We don’t have any rights to release the budgets for scholarships and the state finance department needs to release the amount to students. We have already started receiving new registrations of applications form for academic years of 2018-2019,” said Rajendra.
In numbers
Pending Post Metric Scholarship Scheme applications for the academic year 2017-18
7,38,392 Backward Class students applications
87,960 Economically Backward Class applications
Total pending Rs 201 crore