Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 20: As a major step towards ensuring transparency and promptness in disbursement of student scholarship, the State Government has decided to adopt the Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT) of all student scholarships.
In this connection, the State’s Education Department has launched a special drive to get all students who are beneficiary of scholarships for Aadhar enrolment by July 31. Subsequently Aadhar numbers of beneficiary students will be seeded with their bank accounts by August 15, enabling direct benefit transfer of scholarships to the beneficiary students. This will ensure that all eligible students receive their scholarship amounts directly in their bank accounts leaving no chance for misappropriation.
The Commissioner Secretary, School Education Department, Shaleen Kabra, after detailed deliberations with the Secretary, IT Department and the District Development Commissioners has issued the schedule to keep the pace of work with the rest of the country.
The Commissioner Secretary has also mandated all the CEOs to maximize the number of students who are found eligible for the National Scheme of Incentives for Girls at Secondary Education (NSIGSE) scheme. Presently about 10,000 students are availing the scholarship which is likely to be increased to nearly 40,000, he said. Similarly, the targets for merit-cum-means scholarships will also be utilized to the full, after careful consideration of the eligibility criteria.
In addition, targets have been set to have 100% Aadhar coverage of students studying in Govt. as well as Pvt. Schools in the State for Aadhar registration for which dead line of August 20 has been fixed.
Further it was decided that after 100% Aadhar enrolment of students the mid day meal and uniform distribution will also be linked to Aadhar enrolment. This will lead to no duplication and misappropriation of funds.