Punjab govt admits lapses in scholarship for SC students

Punjab government today admitted lapses in post-matric scholarships granted to Scheduled Caste students at some Polytechnics and Industrial Training Institutes in the state.
During the Question Hour, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Madan Mohan Mittal said, "Fraud is taking place by adopting unfair methods through fabrication and displaying admission of some students at two different places."
He assured the Assembly that an investigation into it is underway.
Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal asked the House to set up and all-party committee to probe the matter.
Earlier, SAD MLA Justice Nirmal Singh (retd.) brought to the notice of the Assembly the "fake and double admissions" in the name of scholarships by various institutions in the state.

He said around 4,200 students were shown receiving scholarships in one institute, but actually 3,200 students were enrolled for distance education programme.

"This is a huge scandal and needs to be probed by an independent agency," the SAD legislator said.
Terming it as a "serious issue" and bringing bad name to the state, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said, "I will request the Chief Minister to mark a vigilance probe into the matter."
SAD MLA Pawan Kumar Tinu said the is scandal to the tune of Rs 50 crore.