Post News Network
Baripada, Jan 28: A fresh move of the state government to make use of Aadhaar cards mandatory for students of scheduled caste/ scheduled tribe and other categories to receive post-matriculation scholarships has created problems for many students, who are strongly opposed to it.
Director of SC/ST welfare department, Ramesh Chandra Sai, vide letter-1362 January 17 has directed the district social welfare officer to this effect. All the colleges have been intimated about this and students have been asked to register their names along with Aadhaar cards by February 10. The colleges have also been asked to report to the government about the progress of registration by February 12.
Now the problem is that about 50 per cent of the students getting stipend in Mayurbhanj district do not have Aadhaar cards while 30 per cent of the Aadhaar cards have erroneous data. Meanwhile, 15 per cent of students in the district have applied for Aadhaar cards, sources said.
This has added to the worries of the students. Without Aadhaar cards, it will not be possible on their part to receive their stipends. At present, 45,000 students are receiving stipends in the district. About 60 per cent of students will be deprived of stipends due to the fresh norm.
The move has infuriated Mayurbhanj Adivasi-Chhatra Sangh (MASA), which has threatened a state-wide agitation. Tuesday, the MASA activists submitted a memorandum to assistant district social welfare officer (ADSWO) Narayan Chandra Hota in this regard.President of MASA, Sukurlal Marandi said, “Aadhaar cards have become a farce with a lot of anomalies. In some cases, photographs of women are in Aadhaar cards of their husbands.”
Marandi also said the authorities had indicated to implement the fresh directive in December, 2014, but they have to postpone it because of anomalies in cards.He said they will embark on a state-wide agitation if Aadhaar cards are made mandatory for availing stipends.
When contacted, district social welfare officer Madhusmita Mohapatra said the directive of the state government will have to be enforced. Those students who do not have Aadhaar cards should apply for the same at tehsils, she added.
