Mass Signature Campaign Against Apathy Towards SC/ST

Bhubaneswar: Protesting against the gross apathy of the Centre towards the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students of Odisha, the Biju Yuva Janata Dal (BYJD) and the Biju Chhatra Janata Dal (BCJD) began a month-long mass signature campaign in the state capital on Friday.

“Since the Centre has instituted post-matric scholarship for SC and ST students, it should not burden the state government with additional financial burden by slashing a bulk of its assistance. As a mark of protest, we have started the mass signature campaign at Lower PMG Square in the city today. We will organise the campaign in all the districts, collect a list of more than 10 lakh signatures and submit it to the President of India,” BYJD president Amaresh Patri told mediapersons here.

“It is grossly unfortunate that the Centre has slashed the post-Matric scholarship assistance for SC/ST students by 80 per cent from 2017-18. The Centre has not released any financial assistance till date,” BCJD adviser Chinmay Sahu told the media.

BJD has decided to raise the issue in the ongoing winter session of Parliament.
Expressing grave concern over the issue, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, in a letter to Union Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment, Thaawar Chand Gehlot on November 17, had said that the Ministry was providing 90 per cent assistance, while the share of the state government was 10 per cent of the actual expenditure. Accordingly, in 2016-17, the Centre’s share was Rs 215.80 crore while the state share was Rs 22.48 crore.

However, from 2017-18 onwards, the Ministry revised the liability of the state government towards post-matric scholarship wherein the state government had to bear more than 80 per cent of the total expenditure.

During 2017-18, the state government had to provide Rs 238.28 crore while the Ministry allocated a meagre Rs 35.12 crore. During 2018-19, the state government has to provide Rs 238.28 crore, while the Centre’s share is projected at Rs 49.39 crore.

“Such an abrupt change in the funding pattern by the Ministry has given a severe jolt to the post-matric scholarship programme for SC/ST students,” the Chief Minister pointed out.