Dimapur, December 16 (MExN): The Eastern Nagaland College Students’ Union (ENCSU) today questioned the State Government for the non-disclosure of report of SIT, formed to probe into alleged misuse of scholarship funds. “Why the Government is trying to save those involved in the misuse of scholarship despite setting up of SIT to catch the errand officials?” asked ENCSU in a press release issued by its President M Longre Chang and General Secretary Wangnei C Jessuhu.
The very purpose of setting up the Special Investigation Team (SIT) will be just a mockery if it cannot come out straight, the Union reminded the State Government.
In a letter to ENCSU on November 13, the Nagaland Chief Secretary, Pankaj Kumar had informed that a SIT headed by IGP (INT) will be constituted to probe into alleged misuse of fund for Post Matric Scholarship (PMS) under Ministry of Tribal Affairs. He also directed that the report should be submitted within a period of two weeks.
In this regard, ENCSU further asked why the government cannot come up with clear SIT report even though it admitted during the cabinet meeting that the PMS fund has been misused by the Department.
The Union reiterated that it will not compromise or sit silent and cautioned that it is ready to initiate its own course of action in the event of Government’s “failure to meet the just demands of the students.”
“The ENCSU have all the facts and findings, therefore, the Government should do what is just because the responsible people for PMS misuse shall be held accountable at any cost,” it added.
Stating that thousands of students are placing immense faith and anticipating a positive response from the SIT, the ENCSU also urged the SIT to “present its findings as it is, without any biases, so that the people will know the whole truth.”
Meanwhile, the ENCSU also asked the Department to clarify how it uploaded the total beneficiaries of students on their official website when some students are yet to receive the first quarter of scholarship.
“On what grounds the Secretary of H&T Education has sent ‘Grand in aid’ of the actual number of scholarship beneficiaries for the year 2016-17, amounting Rs.14,93,33,00 to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs when 1143 students are in error list following transactions issues?” it questioned.
In this connection, the Union gave a “final call to the Department of Higher Education to release full scholarship to the students as per the assurance produced by the Chief Secretary on December 7.”
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has already sanctioned half of the amount to the state Government for second and final installment, it added.
