Previous govt embezzled students’ scholarships before 2017: Yogi

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday accused the previous government of irregularities in the distribution of scholarships, and alleged that even Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students were denied scholarships in 2016-17.

Addressing a scholarship and fee reimbursement distribution programme at the Lok Bhavan auditorium, CM Adityanath said scholarships that had remained pending before 2017 were also disbursed to students after his government came to power.

He said scholarships were previously siphoned off through bureaucratic manipulation, whereas the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system now ensures that the entire amount is transferred directly to the bank accounts of eligible students.

During the programme, the Chief Minister transferred more than Rs 148 crore directly to the bank accounts of 460,559 students with a single click. He said the initiative was only the beginning and announced that the government had set a target of extending scholarship benefits to 70 lakh students this year. He said scholarships worth Rs 6,200 crore were provided to 69 lakh students last year, compared with around Rs 2,900 crore before 2017.

He directed officials to ensure that scholarships reach all eligible students by January 26. He added that nearly four lakh students who were unable to receive scholarships last year due to application or technical errors would also be provided financial assistance.

The Chief Minister said no student’s education should be disrupted due to lack of funds and assured timely scholarship payments to eligible beneficiaries. He urged students to use the assistance responsibly, particularly for books.

Taking a swipe at the previous government, he said students faced difficulties before 2017, while law and order and development were also affected.

Adityanath highlighted initiatives including Operation Kayakalp, Atal Residential Schools, Project Alankar and scholarships for 1.60 crore children.

He said 10 lakh youths had received government jobs and another one lakh would be employed within six months. He also announced 50,000 scooters for meritorious female students.

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The Hans India