Punjab Vigilance Bureau to probe post-matric scholarship scam: Minister Baljit Kaur

CHANDIGARH: The Vigilance Bureau of Punjab will probe the Rs 55 crore alleged post-matric scholarship scam that had surfaced during the previous Congress government in the state, Social Justice Minister Baljit Kaur said here on Friday.

She also said that the state government has sacked six officials for being allegedly involved in the scam. Addressing the media here, Kaur alleged that the alleged scam involved discrepancies to the tune of Rs 55 crore, of which Rs 16 crore was given as excess payment to colleges from which money was to be recovered.

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Instead of taking action against these institutes, they were extended benefits running into crores, she said. Flanked by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, Kaur said that it was also discovered that there was no trace of Rs 39 crore which was disbursed to some "ghost institutes".

This amount is yet to be recovered, the minister for social justice, empowerment and minorities said. A department inquiry found six employees involved in the irregularities, she said. Of them, four officials were from the department of social justice, empowerment and minorities and two from the finance department, Baljit Kaur said, adding all six have been dismissed.

They were deputy director Parminder Singh Gill, deputy controller Charanjit Singh, section officer Mukesh Bhatia, superintendent Rajinder Chopra, and senior assistants Rakesh Arora and Baldev Singh. Replying to a question, Kaur said the Punjab Vigilance Bureau would conduct further probe into the scam. On former minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot's name figuring in the scam, she said whosoever is found involved will not be spared.

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The multi-crore post matric scholarship scam had surfaced in 2020 following a report by the then additional chief secretary. The report had also questioned the role of the then social justice minister Dharamsot in allegedly shielding those involved in the scam. In July last year, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had ordered a detailed probe into the irregularities in the disbursement of funds meant for the scholarship.

Finance Minister Cheema said the number of students applying for the scholarship scheme drastically reduced to 1.95 lakh in 2021-22 compared to the past years due to non-disbursal of funds to eligible students. But this time, 2.50 lakh Scheduled Caste students have already applied for the scheme so far and the portal is open for students till March 31 and this figure is expected to cross the three-lakh mark, he said.