ITANAGAR: The All Nyishi Students Union (ANSU), has appealed to the state government to rollback its earlier order, directing the transfer of the Post Matric Scholarship Scheme (PMSS) from the Department of Education to Social Justice Empowerment and Tribal Affairs (SJETA).
Addressing the media at the Arunachal Press Club, ANSU Assistant Finance Secretary, Charpo Taffo Sonam, said that the students of the state have already lost trust with the SJETA department due to the alleged misappropriation of funds earlier. With rigorous fighting, the PMSS was later transferred to the department of education in the year 2019.
He said that the SJETA department was involved in the misappropriation of students's funds in the year 2016-17. Now, handing over the responsibility to the same department is not justified. More than 10,000 students have been put on hold due to the issue of Aadhar seeding during this tenure. However, according to the students, most of them have already done it.
"ANSU has been demanding a permanent solution to the issue for many years. Now, unless the education department and the state government roll back the order, the union shall continue to protest. Though the PMSS is of the SJETA department, the students have lost trust with the procedure of scholarship disbursement and alleged corruption involved in it," he added.
He said there is also a delay in the work process by the education department, but it is understood as they are new to it. However, the department has been performing well. Therefore, the matter should be dealt with by the education department.
Besides, he also informed me that there is a clear direction that scholarship verification should be completed within June to August of every year. And disbursement should be started by December and completed by April. The stipend is from the state government, and the scholarship-90% is from the central government and the 10% is funded by the state government-is from the centre. However, in the scholarship, 90% is from the central government and the 10% is funded by the state government.
He also said that the union will be submitting a representation to the state government, the education department, and the concerned minister, appealing for the rollback of order.
On September 4, the Education Commissioner, in a notice issued, stated the education department shall hand over all the files related to the PMSS to the SJETA department for smooth implementation of the scheme. Also, the department will transfer the unspent balance of funds, if any, to the SJETA during the academic year of 2024-25.
However, it stated that the process of disbursement of scholarships for the academic year 2023-24 shall be completed by the education department. And, the implementation of the scheme for the academic year 2024-25 shall be carried out by the SJETA department.
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