Dimapur, Nov. 28 (EMN): Director of Higher Education Kuholi Chishi has urged the students community remove suspicion on misuse of scholarship money meant for them by assuring that “the money meant for the students will be for students alone and can never be channeled elsewhere for any other purpose.”
The Director told the students comprising the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF), All Nagaland College Stundents’ Union (ANCSU) and University Students’ Union (NUSU) including Lumami, Meriema and SASRD Medzipheme during a consultative meeting held at the Directorate of Higher Education’s conference hall on November 27.
While appreciating the initiative undertaken by the students’ bodies, the Director stated that the department is accountable to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. In response to the queries raised by the students’ bodies, the directorate officials clarified that the department received Rs 1344.00 lakh from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, under 90% central share and Rs 149.33 lakhs from the state government under 10% state share for payment of first instalment of Post Matric Scholarship for the year 2016-17. It was clarified that the rest of the balance amount i.e., second instalment would be credited to the students’ accounts once the Ministry of Tribal Affairs release the amount.
It was also revealed during the meeting that the total number of beneficiaries for the payment of Post Matric Scholarship was 44084 students wherein the amounts due to them were all deposited into their respective accounts. However, due to some error with the accounts of the beneficiaries, some scholarships could not be deposited by the banks, resulting to bouncing of a total of 1143 banker cheques to the directorate.
In this regard, the directorate had requested the concerned students to rectify the errors from the directorate office and encash the scholarship.
As for the delay in the disbursement of scholarship, it was relayed that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was set up by the government headed by Renchamo P Kikon as chairman to investigate for which a detailed report was awaited.
The detailed procedure of fund procurement for scholarship payment was also explained to the students’ bodies. Both parties came to an understanding on the issue of scholarship after all the necessary clarifications were made.
