4,000 institutions under One Nation One Subscription scheme haven't received benefits: Par panel
A parliamentary panel has raised concerns about the slow implementation of the One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) scheme, noting that a significant number of eligible institutions have yet to benefit. The committee has directed the Ministry of Education to provide updated information and accelerate the scheme's reach.
Reuters Around 4,000 out of 7,008 eligible institutions under the One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) scheme of the Ministry of Education have not received its benefits, a parliamentary panel has flagged. The Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports, headed by Congress MP Digvijaya Singh, directed the furnishing of updated information on the current status of the ONOS' reach.
"The Committee notes that the ONOS scheme has been approved and implemented. The Committee's recommendation had called for the accelerated implementation of the ONOS scheme. However, as the Committee noted in its 364th Report on Demand for Grants of the Higher Education Department (FY 24-25), about 4,000 of the 7,008 eligible institutions had still not received the benefits of the ONOS. "The Committee would direct the Department to provide updated information on the current status of the ONOS's reach, and provide an update on the steps taken to accelerate the scheme's implementation," the panel said in its report.
The Committee also noted that the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) Act, 2023 was brought out in letter and spirit but it has not been able to spend any of its budgeted funds for the previous financial year.
"As per the provisions, an Executive Council was constituted wherein high-level strategic directions were given, performance monitored and implementation of the objectives of the Foundation was envisioned. However, in its discussions on the Demands for Grants of the Department of Higher Education in FY 2024-25, the Committee was informed that the ANRF had not been able to spend any of its budgeted funds for the previous financial year. "In this regard, the Committee needs to be apprised of the current status of the ANRF's functioning and further initiatives undertaken, if any," the report added.
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