DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 17 (MExN): The Eastern Nagaland College Students’ Union (ENCSU) has expressed resentment at the Higher Education Department and the Government of Nagaland for “failing to justify the reason on delay of scholarship disbursement and disbursing on the installment basis raised by the Union.”
A press note from the ENCSU today informed that the Central Ministry of Tribal Affairs (Education Section) had sanctioned the amount of Rs 13,44,00,000 on December 28 to the State of Nagaland. It questioned as to “why the department withheld the amount for so long period of time which subsequently delays in submitting the Utilization Certificate?”
The ENCSU also asked who was the concerned person who authorized to “withhold the money for many months without disbursement on time?”
“If at all, as claimed by the Department to disburse the Scholarship on installment basis is the directive of the Central Ministry, the ENCSU would like to see the copy of notification/directive from the Central ministry in black and white,” it added.
Pointing out that as per the department, scholarship would be paid in two installments; the ENCSU however stated that in the first installment the students are credited only in quarter. “Therefore, the Department should justify the reason behind for manipulating the system.”
It meanwhile informed that the department had also sent the Proposal of Scholarship to ST Students of Nagaland for 2016-17 on October 28 even before the last date of filling up the forms as per the notification of the department. Therefore, the union asked how the department can finalize the lists of the beneficiary students beforehand.
“We have only 2 months and 14 days left to see the New Year but the students from Nagaland are still yearning to receive their due share, which is a small aid from the Central Government to pursue their studies because of irresponsible department and the government,” the ENCSU stated and asked the government to release the scholarship sanctioned by the Union Ministry without much delay.
It meanwhile reaffirmed the union’s earlier press release asking the department and the government to “withhold the disbursement of scholarship on installment basis until the department justifies the reason as demanded by the Union.” The ENCSU also appealed to the students, particularly ‘Eastern Students’ not to utilize the amount credited in their respective accounts “till such time the justice is delivered.”
