Latest news with #ParliamentaryStandingCommitteeonSocialJusticeandEmpowerment
India Today
5 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
Scholarship delays hurting poor minority students, says Parliament committee
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment has sharply criticised the Ministry of Minority Affairs for significant delays in approving key scholarship programs for minority its Eleventh Report on the ministry's 2024-25 grant demands, presented in Parliament on Monday, the panel highlighted that the Pre-Matric, Post-Matric, and Merit-cum-Means scholarships have been on hold since 2022-23. This suspension is due to ongoing efforts to align these schemes with similar programs run by other committee expressed concern that this delay is adversely affecting economically disadvantaged students who depend on this financial aid. It emphasised that students should not bear the brunt of administrative delays and called for urgent, time-bound action to complete the approval process. Moreover, the panel urged the ministry to ensure that benefits for minority students are on par with those offered to other marginalised communities. The report pointed out that other departments, such as the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, have continued to implement schemes like the National Fellowship, National Overseas Scholarship, Free Coaching, and Residential Education without interruption. In contrast, these initiatives have been discontinued by the Ministry of Minority Affairs, resulting in the deprivation of educational opportunities for deserving minority committee recommended that the ministry reconsider its decision to halt these crucial educational programs for minority the subject of livelihood initiatives, the committee expressed dissatisfaction with the ministry's unclear update regarding the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS) scheme, which consolidates five earlier programs. It noted that no expenditure was reported under this scheme during 2023-24 and urged the ministry to fully utilise the allocated budget for 2024-25 before the current Finance Commission cycle concludes in despite most states adopting the Public Financial Management System and Single Nodal Agency protocols, the report highlighted ongoing delays in project approvals and execution under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram, pointing to persistent administrative bottlenecks.(With PTI inputs)- EndsMust Watch
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Parliament panel slams Minority Affairs for delay in scholarship approvals
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment has pulled up the Ministry of Minority Affairs for failing to secure approval for key scholarship schemes meant for minority students. In its Eleventh Report on action taken over the ministry's 2024-25 demands for grants, tabled in Parliament on Monday, the panel noted that the Pre-Matric, Post-Matric and Merit-cum-Means scholarships have remained in abeyance since 2022-23 pending 'harmonisation' with similar schemes of other ministries. It said the delay has deprived economically weaker students of crucial support. 'The Committee strongly believe that the education of the students must have suffered due to non-availability of financial assistance to them. The students should not be made to suffer for no fault, concrete steps need to be taken to complete the process in a time-bound manner,' it said, adding that the ministry must match benefits available to other marginalised groups. The committee in its Original Report found that several schemes, such as National Fellowship, National Overseas Scholarship, Free Coaching, and Residential Education, are being implemented without any interruption in the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. However, these schemes have been discontinued by Minority Affairs, it said. In the absence of these schemes, the Ministry of Minority Affairs is depriving needy and deserving students of minority communities from pursuing higher education, the report read. The committee recommended reconsidering the decision to discontinue the educational schemes for minority communities. On livelihood support, the committee expressed dissatisfaction with the ministry's vague response on the roll-out of the Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS) scheme, formed by merging five earlier programmes. It said no expenditure was made under the scheme in 2023-24 and stressed that the ministry must fully utilise the 2024-25 budget before the 15th Finance Commission cycle ends in 2025-26. The report said that despite the adoption of the Public Financial Management System and Single Nodal Agency rules by most states, delays in project approvals and execution under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram persist.
