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Institutions inordinately delayed applications
The CAG report said that despite release of additional funds of Rs 883.65 crore since 2013 by the State government over and above the committed liability, the scholarships committed during each year of the period 2012-17 could not be paid resulting in accumulation of arrears to Rs 1,201.95 crore.
By
migrator
migrator
Chennai
Details of undisbursed scholarships, the findings pointed out a total of Rs 14.81 crore lying in savings bank account of Commissioner of Adi Dravidar Welfare (CADW) in Tamil Nadu.
Also, management of the institutions and authorities did not frame time for processing of the applications at any level. During the last three years from 2015, a total of 21,706 applications were delayed without any reasons.
Accordingly, only two out of eight applications were forwarded to Ministry within six months of their receipt. Remaining six were forwarded with delays ranging from seven to 21 months due to non-receipt of verification report of certificates of students.
Admitting the flaws in the distribution of scholarships, a top official from the Social Welfare Department here said that notices has been issued to the educational institutions, which had violated.
“We have issued notices to about 80 educational institutions and the reports were also sought”, he added. According to the official, from this year the monitoring system of the scholarship will be strengthened.
A senior official from the Adi Dravidar Welfare also pointed out that four colleges, one school, one district Institute of Education and Training and one university) collected fee of Rs 4.55 crore in excess of the fees fixed by the fee fixation committee of the State Government 1,552 eligible SC students.
The scholarship aims to provide financial assistance through State’s Social Welfare Department to SC students studying at post matriculation or post-secondary stage to enable them to complete their education. During the last five years, the number of beneficiaries of the scheme in Tamil Nadu was about 36 lakh students across the State.
The scheme components include maintenance allowance (varies across groups of courses), compulsory non-refundable fee. study tour charges, thesis typing/printing charges (for research scholars), book allowance (for students pursuing correspondence courses) book bank facility for specified courses and additional allowance for students with disabilities.
Other discrepancies including excess payment of maintenance allowance, acceptance of incorrect data by systems and non-implementation of annual inspection of educational institutions were also highlighted in the audited report.
Authorities claim Complaints/grievances were addressed to the Director of Adi Dravidar Welfare Department and action was stated to have been taken as per rules.
CAG recommendations
- States may be asked to strengthen their monitoring and control mechanisms including verification of eligibility of applications as well as payments and reimbursements to make implementation of the scheme effective
- The Ministry should take steps to ensure accountability of officials and institutions for release of undue amounts
- The Ministry should prescribe indicative timelines for the States for furnishing their demand for central assistances
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