Gujarat government today told the High Court that it had disbursed Rs 46 crore for 3.5 lakh students from the minority communities under the Central government’s pre-matriculation scholarship scheme.

“We have disbursed Rs 46 crore to all the district development officers,” it told the division bench of Justices M R Shah and R P Dholaria.

Following the government’s statement, the High Court ordered, “The amount shall be paid under the Scheme of Pre-matric Scholarship and without insisting for any other requirement other than what is required in the Scheme.”

“The school principal will open a bank account of the student and the amount will be deposited to that account.

“In the case of unavailability of the bank account, the amount will be given (directly) in the presence of community leaders,” the HC order said.

Adam Chaki, an activist, had moved the HC alleging non-implementation of the Central scheme.

His lawyer said that a five-judge bench of the High Court had ordered implementation of the scheme, but even one year after the order, the students were yet to get the money.

While the Centre contributes 75 per cent of the funds for the scheme, the rest comes from the state.

Gujarat Government had challenged the High Court’s order before the Supreme Court, but the appeal was rejected last May.

source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> PTI Stories> National> News / Press Trust of India / Ahmedabad – March 21st, 2014