Lok Sabha Question No. 4008 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-19
Subject: e-Grant for ST Students
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shri Rajmohan Unnithan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 4008

TO BE ANSWERED ON- 19/12/2024

## 'E-GRANT FOR ST STUDENTS

## 4008.  SHRI RAJMOHAN UNNITHAN:

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state: -

(a) whether 60% e-Grant for ST students is sanctioned by the Union Government and 40% by the State Governments and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Union Government has set an income limit of Rs. 2.5 lakh for e-Grant since 2022 due to which the State Governments have to pay hundred per cent of the amount for students whose income is more than 2.5 lakhs and if so, the details thereof;

- (c) whether this is a huge burden on the part of the State Governments and often SC/ST students are not getting the e-Grant on time and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether fixing the income limit for e-Grant is not structurally correct and the students are not getting exact amount including fees for two years and if so, the details thereof; and

(e) the action taken by the Union Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR TRIBAL AFFAIRS (SHRI DURGADAS UIKEY)

(a): Ministry of Tribal Affairs is implementing Centrally Sponsored Schemes of Pre-Matric and PostMatric  Scholarship  Schemes  for  ST  students  through  the  State  Governments  and  Union  Territory Administrations. The contribution from Government of India under these schemes is 75% and the State contribution is 25%. In respect of North East states and hilly states, the contribution from Government of India  is  90%  and  the  State  contribution  is  10%.  In  case  of  UTs  like  Andaman  &  Nicobar  without Legislative Assembly, Govt. of India's contribution is 100%. The Central Share is released to State Govt. for further disbursement to the eligible ST students and monitored digitally through PFMS.

Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) is also implementing similar scholarship scheme for SC students. Under the Pre-Matric and Post-Matric scheme for SC students implemented by Ministry of  Social  Justice  and  Empowerment,  contribution  from  Government  of  India  is  60%  and  the  state contribution is 40%. As per the process being followed by MoSJE, the Central Share (60%) is directly released by MoSJE to students account through DBT, whereas the MoTA releases funds to the State (central share) and the State along with the State share disburses scholarship to the account of student through DBT

(b) The Pre-Matric and Post-Matric for ST students is demand driven open ended scheme. As per the existing guidelines, all ST students whose family income from all sources does not exceed Rs.2,50,000/-

(Rs. Two lakh fifty thousand only) per annum, are eligible for scholarship under Pre-Matric and PostMatric Scholarship scheme. However, State Govt. are free to implement any other scholarship scheme to cover students who are not eligible under the Pre-Matric and Post-Matric Scholarship scheme for ST students implemented by Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

- (c)  to  (e) The  income  limit  was  fixed  after  due  consultation  with  other  Ministries/Departments  and accordingly the scheme norms were approved by EFC/Cabinet for implementation for the period 202122 to 2025-26.

Disbursement of scholarship is an ongoing activity and Ministry of Tribal Affairs has sufficient funds to release Central Share to States/UTs. Ministry of Tribal Affairs releases upto 50% of the Central share in advance to the State Govt/UT subject to submission of Utilization certificate, compliance of SNA guidelines, submission of statement of expenditure and data of beneficiaries on MoTA DBT portal. The State are advised to timely disburse scholarship, so that the students do not face financial burden. The inviting  of  applications,  verification  and  disbursement  of  scholarship  to  eligible  ST  students  is responsibility  of  concerned  States/UTs.  Ministry  of  Tribal  Affairs  releases  the  Central  Share  to  the concerned State/UT based on their demand/proposal along with other requisite documents/compliance like Utilization Certificate (UC), Statement of Expenditure (SoE), SNA compliance etc. The details of fund released during last 3 years is given at Annexure-I.

Annexure-I

Annexure referred to in reply to parts (c) to (e) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 4008 for 19.12.2024 asked by Shri Rajmohan Unnithan, Hon'ble Member of Parliament regarding e-Grant for ST Students.

| Details of Fund Released to States/UTs from 2021-22 to 2023-24   | Details of Fund Released to States/UTs from 2021-22 to 2023-24   | Details of Fund Released to States/UTs from 2021-22 to 2023-24   |
|------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Financial Year                                                   | Pre-matric Scholarship for ST students                           | Rs. in Post-Matric Scholarship for ST students                   |
| 2021-22                                                          | 394.14                                                           | 2256.81                                                          |
| 2022-23                                                          | 357.30                                                           | 1964.65                                                          |
| 2023-24                                                          | 308.60                                                           | 2668.68                                                          |

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