BJP SC Morcha accuses Punjab govt of misrepresenting scholarship scheme

The BJP's Scheduled Caste (SC) Morcha has accused the Punjab government of misrepresenting facts regarding the Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme for SC students.

Morcha President and former IAS officer S R Ladhar criticised the state for failing to acknowledge the Centre’s significant financial contribution.

Addressing the media, Ladhar said Punjab’s Social Justice Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur recently announced the release of Rs 245 crore under the scheme on June 28 but failed to mention that ₹147 crore of that amount came from the central government, with the state contributing ₹98 crore.

He cited similar patterns in previous disbursements, including Rs 55.45 crore released on February 2, where Rs 33.27 crore came from the Centre. Ladhar alleged a consistent effort by the Punjab government to take full credit for centrally funded schemes aimed at supporting SC students.

Calling for transparency, Ladhar said obscuring the Centre’s role misleads beneficiaries and undermines trust. He also referred to past concerns raised by the Governor over nearly two lakh SC student dropouts, which he claimed were dismissed lightly by the Chief Minister in the Assembly.