By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, June 23: Education Minister Rakkam A Sangma on Monday clarified that the disbursement of the Umbrella Scholarship for Scheduled Tribe (ST) students is being carried out in phases to ensure fair and equal distribution among all beneficiaries.
Speaking to the media, Sangma said that the first instalment has already been released, and eligible students will begin receiving the amount in their bank accounts in a phased manner.
He pointed out that in previous years, the entire scholarship amount was disbursed to the first 20,000 applicants, leaving the remaining 40,000 students to wait for the next round of disbursement. To address this imbalance, the department has now decided to split the total scholarship amount and distribute it in equal installments to all eligible beneficiaries.
The minister also provided an update on the upcoming Chief Minister’s Scholarship Scheme, stating that the official notification is yet to be issued.
Once launched, students will receive an additional Rs 6,000 under the new scheme, in addition to the Umbrella Scholarship provided by the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
Sangma assured that the entire disbursement process will be completed within the next two to three installments. However, he noted that around 6,000 to 7,000 students are currently facing delays due to issues with their bank accounts, such as incorrect details or lack of Aadhaar linkage.
He urged all students to ensure that their bank accounts are active and Aadhaar-linked to avoid any delays in receiving their scholarship funds.
Earlier, Tura MDC Bernard N Marak had alleged that student beneficiaries of CM’s Scholarship Scheme were being paid less than the amount assured by the Chief Minister during the Budget Session and questioned where the rest of the amount had gone.