Lok Sabha Question No. 2900 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-12
Subject: Funds for Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shri Balashowry Vallabhaneni

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 2900

TO BE ANSWERED ON- 12/12/2024

## FUNDS FOR PRE-MATRIC SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME

2900.  SHRI BALASHOWRY VALLABHANENI:

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) the number of tribal students benefited in Andhra Pradesh under Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme (PMS) since 2019-20, year and district-wise;

(b) whether the allocation of the funds for the above scheme came down since 2020-21 and if so, the reasons therefor;

- (c) whether no funds could be released in 2022-23 and if so, the reasons therefor; and
- (d) the status of the funds released and utilized in 2023-24 along with the funds proposed for 2024-25?

## ANSWER

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

(a): The  Pre-Matric  scholarship  scheme  for  ST  students  is  a  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme implemented  by  the  Ministry  of  Tribal  Affairs  through  respective  State  Governments/UT Administrations. States/UTs are responsible for inviting application, verification of students and release of funds. The total No. of beneficiaries district-wise and year-wise from 2019-20 to 2022-23 as reported by State Govt. of Andhra Pradesh is given at Annexure-I.

(b): The scheme of Pre-Matric Scholarship for ST students is a demand driven, open ended scheme,  therefore  every  eligible  beneficiary  is  entitled  for  benefit  under  the  scheme.   The Central share is released to respective States/UTs based on the demand/proposal received from them along with other requisite documents/compliance. The perusal of table below will show that the allocation under BE has not come down in last 5 years, however based on the actual demand submitted by States, the RE allocation has been reduced.

Amount in Rs crores

| Financial Year   |   (Budget Estimate) BE | Final Allocation   | Actual Expenditure   |
|------------------|------------------------|--------------------|----------------------|
| 2019-20          |                 340    | 440.00             | 439.99               |
| 2020-21          |                 400    | 250.00             | 248.90               |
| 2021-22          |                 400    | 394.14             | 394.14               |
| 2022-23          |                 419    | 357.30             | 357.30               |
| 2023-24          |                 411.63 | 308.61             | 308.60               |
| 2024-25          |                 440.36 | -                  | Ongoing              |

Further release of Central Share funds under the Pre-Matric Scholarship for ST students to the  State Govt. of Andhra Pradesh since 2019-20 by Ministry of Tribal Affairs are given in the table below:

| Financial Year   |   Central Share released by MoTA to Andhra Pradesh (Rs. in lakhs) |
|------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2019-20          |                                                            736.32 |
| 2020-21          |                                                           1433.81 |
| 2021-22          |                                                           3935.06 |
| 2022-23          |                                                              0    |
| 2023-24          |                                                           5700.16 |

- (c): Fund could not be released in FY 2022-23 due to the non-compliance of SNA (as mandated by Department of Expenditure) by the State Government of Andhra Pradesh.
- (d): During FY 2023-24, Central Share of Rs. 5700.16 Lakh was released by Ministry of Tribal Affairs. As can be seen in table in reply to part (b) above, Ministry has got sufficient funds available for release to State Government based on proposal submitted by State Government for  the  current  FY  2024-25,  which  is  received  on  09.12.2024.  The  release  of  funds  is  a continuous process which requires examination of Utilization Certificate, SNA compliance, putting State share in SNA account and submission of beneficiary data submitted by the State Government.

Annexure-I

| S.No   |                       | Year wise No. of Beneficiaries   | Year wise No. of Beneficiaries   | Year wise No. of Beneficiaries   | Year wise No. of Beneficiaries   |
|--------|-----------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
| S.No   | District              | 2019-20                          | 2020-21                          | 2021-22                          | 2022-23                          |
| 1      | Anantapur             | 3737                             | 1774                             | 2321                             | 1229                             |
| 2      | Chittoor              | 3571                             | 1776                             | 2060                             | 854                              |
| 3      | East Godavari         | 6728                             | 2927                             | 4117                             | 352                              |
| 4      | Guntur                | 5390                             | 2723                             | 3367                             | 1112                             |
| 5      | Kadapa                | 1512                             | 695                              | 856                              | 589                              |
| 6      | Krishna               | 2960                             | 1574                             | 1734                             | 567                              |
| 7      | Kurnool               | 2014                             | 849                              | 1139                             | 459                              |
| 8      | Nellore               | 3323                             | 1807                             | 2198                             | 2233                             |
| 9      | Prakasam              | 2508                             | 1211                             | 1515                             | 1114                             |
| 10     | Srikakulam            | 4307                             | 1909                             | 2460                             | 1317                             |
| 11     | Visakhapatnam         | 13030                            | 5240                             | 8234                             | 593                              |
| 12     | Vizianagaram          | 5768                             | 2616                             | 3566                             | 814                              |
| 13     | West Godavari         | 3019                             | 1575                             | 1797                             | 314                              |
| 14     | Alluri Sitharama Raju |                                  |                                  |                                  | 11221                            |
| 15     | Anakapalli            |                                  |                                  |                                  | 950                              |
| 16     | Annamayya             |                                  |                                  |                                  | 1073                             |
| 17     | Bapatla               |                                  |                                  |                                  | 1061                             |
| 18     | Eluru                 |                                  |                                  |                                  | 1827                             |
| 19     | Kakinada              |                                  |                                  |                                  | 469                              |
| 20     | Konaseema             |                                  |                                  |                                  | 265                              |
| 21     | Manyam                |                                  |                                  |                                  | 4050                             |
| 22     | Nandyal               |                                  |                                  |                                  | 840                              |
| 23     | NTR                   |                                  |                                  |                                  | 1295                             |
| 24     | Palnadu               |                                  |                                  |                                  | 2112                             |
| 25     | Sri Satya Sai         |                                  |                                  |                                  | 1267                             |
| 26     | Tirupati              |                                  |                                  |                                  | 2488                             |
|        | Total                 | 57866                            | 26676                            | 35364                            | 40465                            |

Note: 13 New Districts have been formed from the year 2022-23.

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