Bhubaneswar: An uproar in the assembly by the ruling BJD over neglect of SC and ST people by the Centre forced Speaker P K Amat to adjourn the house till 3 pm.
The third day of the winter session witnessed the adjournment as members of BJD trooped into the well and shouted slogans against the Centre for neglecting SC and ST students.
The house soon plunged into a chaotic situation forcing the speaker to adjourn the house.
The ruling BJD claimed that the Centre has reduced the post-matric scholarship funds for Schedule Caste (SC) students in the state.
Until 2016-2017, The Centre was providing 90 per cent of the fund while the state was bearing the rest 10 per cent. However, from 2017-18 onwards, the Centre has revised the liability of the State Government towards the programme, wherein the state has to bear 80 per cent of the total expenditure.
Such an abrupt change in the funding pattern has given a severe jolt to the scholarship programme for SC students, the BJD members said.
Earlier, the CM Naveen Patnaik in a letter to the Centre had urged to increase funding towards post-matric scholarship programme for Scheduled Caste (SC) students in the state.
In a letter to Union Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment Thaawar Chand Gehlot, Patnaik said the post-matric scholarship programme is a centrally sponsored scheme.
Patnaik requested the Union Minister to reconsider the matter and restore the funding pattern of 90:10 for smooth implementation of the programme.
PNN
