Hyderabad: Dy. CM of Telangana State, Mr. Mohammed Mahmood Ali gave an assurance that no eligible student would be deprived of Overseas Scholarship Scheme. He was talking to newsmen yesterday at Hajj House. He further clarified that the process of selection of eligible candidates is not yet over and no application has been rejected in principle so far. After consulting Mr. Syed Omer Jaleel, IAS, Secretary, Dept. of Minorities Welfare and Mr. Mohammed Jalaaluddin Akbar, IFS, Director of the Dept. of Minorities Welfare, Mr. Mahmood Ali told that very soon a high level meeting of the officers would be held and all the applications would be reviewed afresh. He informed that Govt. intents to benefit a large number of students through this scheme. If need be, Govt. is prepared to release additional funds. Such of the students who fulfilled all the conditions and went abroad for higher studies need not worry. If their applications are found intact, the amount of scholarship would be released. Govt. wants to ensure that Minorities students take admissions in reputed universities. There are complaints that in some universities there are no minimum educational qualification for admissions. The degrees awarded by these universities have no value in their own countries.
Mr. Syed Omer Jaleel informed that after short listing the applications 280 students were selected. He pleaded ignorance about the rejection of 86 applications. He assured that he would talk to the concerned officials. He further said that it is binding on all the candidates to fulfill the condition laid down in this scheme.
Dy. CM admitted that there have been some irregularities in the implementation of certain welfare schemes. Govt. received complaints about these schemes. He said that Govt. will not allow anyone to misuse the budget allocated for Minorities Welfare Scheme. He informed that there are some complaints about the implementations of bank linked subsidy schemes implemented by Minorities Finance Corporation. He assured that he would take necessary steps after convening a meeting of the officials. Taking into considerations the difficulties faced by Minorities in getting loans from the banks, Govt. is considering to release funds directly to the applicants instead of routing it through Minorities Finance Corporation. He also said that the staff of the district unit of Minorities Department would be increased. It has also been decided to construct buildings in districts to bring all the Minorities institutions under one roof. He further said that in each district there is only one officer of the department of Minorities Welfare and hence he cannot dispose of all the cases. He further told that for the first time there is an adequate number of officers in the Dept. of Minorities Welfare of Telangana State whereas in A.P. State many additional responsibilities have been assigned to a single officer.
–Siasat News