ANCSU seeks President Kovind’s intervention in scholarship issue

Kohima, December 1 (MExN): The All Nagaland College Students’ Union (ANCSU) has written to the President of India seeking his intervention for release of the second and final installment of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) – Post Matric Scholarship (PMS) for ST students of Nagaland for the year 2016-2017.  

The letter appended by ANCSU president, Katho P Awomi and general secretary, Vimeyiekho Vitso expressed dismay over the delay in releasing the second and final installment of the scholarship by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs “despite of repeated appeals made by the student community and the government of Nagaland.”  

ANCSU stated that as a concerned students’ body it has been pursuing the issue since the month of April 2017. “However, despite of all the appeals made by the ANCSU to the higher authority for early release of full amount of scholarship (PMS), justice has not been restored till date,” it rued.

It mentioned that the total amount projected for 44,804 beneficiaries is Rs. 50,69,21,139 for the year 2016-2017, out of which, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs had sanctioned an amount of Rs. 13,44,00,000 on December 28, 2016 as first installment.  

The funding agency had also directed the State government to furnish the Utilization Certificate in respect of the first installment released under the scheme during the year 2016-2017, according to the letter.  

It added that the Department of Higher Education with the intervention of Governor of Nagaland PB Acharya started the disbursement of first installment on October 6, 2017 to all the beneficiaries to their respective bank account after which the department submitted the Utilization Certificate to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs on November 8, 2017.  

ANCSU expressed dismay over the delay in release of the second installment and also reminded President Ram Nath Kovind that the beneficiaries under CSS PMS for ST students of Nagaland solely depend on the scholarship to fulfill their academic needs.  

Lamenting that the students’ community “are still deprived yet, of our due rights due to several reasons mentioned, which is best known to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs,” ANCSU sought the President’s immediate intervention in “restoring justice to the students of Nagaland.”  

Meanwhile, the students’ body asserted that its endeavour is to deliver justice and equality to all the students of the State. “We are vigilant when matters that decide the very future and destiny of the students are held at stake, their welfare compromised and their career threatened,” it added.