SHILLONG, Nov 9: Consequent to the recent hue and cry, the state government, on Wednesday, finally released the pre-matric and post-matric scholarship funds.
Informing this here on Wednesday, Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui said that scholarship amounting to more than Rs 169 crore has been released for the year 2021-22.
The scholarship amount will benefit 61,116 students.
Asserting that the government was not expecting a delay while wanting to ensure timely release of students’ scholarships, the minister said that individual accounts of the beneficiaries will start receiving the money through PMFS.
HYC’s peaceful protest
The Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) has proposed to take out a peaceful procession and hold a meeting on Thursday to deliberate over the delay in releasing students’ scholarship. But with the government releasing the scholarship on Wednesday, there may perhaps remain no agenda for the group to conduct its proposed activities. There, however, was no communication on the procession being cancelled at the time of filing of this report.
The HYC had sought permission from the Deputy Commissioner of East Khasi Hills to hold the procession from Madan Iewrynghep to Additional Secretariat.
The DC, in a letter to the HYC, said the permission for the rally cannot be granted since Section 144 CrPC has been imposed in the entire Shillong Urban Agglomeration Area, while adding that the issue was addressed by the government.
Earlier, HYC’s education secretary Enlang Sawian said there was no response from the Chief Minister and Education Minister when they had written to them on the delay in release of the students’ scholarship.
“The delay in the release of the student’s scholarship has affected the students belonging to the lower income groups. We are force to protest due to the adamant attitude of the government,” Sawian said.
He further stated that they should be allowed to hold the peaceful protest against the government since it is within the rights of the Constitution.
Meanwhile, Governor of Meghalaya BD Mishra prohibited strikes in any essential services in order to prevent disruption and breakdown of emergency services to the public.
The order will remain in force for a period of six months.
