CM blames Centre for delaying scholarship funds

Deepkamal Kaur

Tribune News Service

Nakodar, MAY 25

Blaming the Centre for delay in the release of the post-matric scholarships for SC students, CM Parkash Singh Badal today said that while the state had already released its share, the Centre was yet to release its part of the grant for Dalit students.

The CM said this at his Sangat Darshan at Uggi village in Nakodar today. Even as he refused to term it as discrimination by its alliance partner, he said, “We have already sent a request, but they have not yet released the grant”.

The SC students have been awaiting a part payment for the session 2014-15 while not even a single penny has been received for 2015-16. The 2016-17 academic session has already begun in schools and some colleges causing a lot of unrest on the issue.

On the police not exposing the culprits behind the attack on Ranjit Singh Dhadrianwale, he responded, “The police are doing their job. Let them complete the investigation first.”

On allegations by PPCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh that the government had set off a civil war among Sikh preachers post -Bargari incident, he said: “Such statements are targeted only to vitiate the atmosphere. Leaders like him should refrain from issuing provocative statements on such sensitive issues”.

On the solid waste management issue which has been hanging fire since MLA Pargat Singh’s refusal to take over as the CPS, Badal said, “We will get the project scrapped and go by what Pargat or the public has to say”.

On the SC directions asking Punjab and Haryana to resolve the SYL issue mutually, Badal said it was easier said than done.

Cong sarpanch rejects aid

Even as Badal was benevolent towards the Akali panchayat of Uggi village for which he sanctioned Rs 50 lakh, the Congress-led panchayat of Rahimpur village near here was not that fortunate. Harpreet Pal Singh, sarpanch of the village, outrightly rejected the grant of Rs 25 lakh against a demand of Rs 1.05 crore.