Gulbarga, Karnataka :

Municipal Administration and Wakf Minister Qamar-ul Islam said the State had introduced online applications for pre-matric scholarship for students belonging to the Minorities.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday after releasing a booklet ‘Hundred days, hundreds of resolutions’ highlighting the achievements of the Congress government in the State, Mr. Islam said this would enable the government to transfer scholarships of Rs. 1,000 an annum sanctioned by the Union and State governments for students of Minority communities directly to their bank accounts.

Online applications would also help in increasing coverage by making the application process easier and simpler. Last year, as against 6.14 lakh students who had applied for scholarship only 4.2 lakh received scholarships due them.

The students who do not have bank accounts can apply without mentioning the account number and the State government would coordinate with banks to open accounts for them.

Mr. Islam, who is also the district in-charge Minister, said that the Union government had released Rs. 70 crore, and the State government released Rs. 32 crore for this purpose. He said this year the government expected around 6.5 lakh students to apply for scholarships. There was already a scheme for online application for availing post-matric scholarships. The last date for filing online applications is September 30.

Mr. Islam said that the State was firm in its decision to hold a Cabinet meeting here this year also. The meeting would in all probability be held in November, when the framing of rules for the implementation of Article 371(J) is complete. Holding the meeting then would enable the government to take a concrete decision on the region’s development.

Referring to the long-pending proposal to widen the Bande Bazaar and Kirana Bazaar in Super Market area to Nehru Gunj here, he said that a decision was taken to lay a cement road instead of blacktopping; this work would be completed within four months. The total cost of the project has increased from Rs. 1.99 crore to Rs. 3.02 crore.

Mr. Islam added that the government had released Rs. 5.2 crore for repairing roads damaged in rains in Gulbarga.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Gulbarga – August 27th, 2013