Sh. Narendra Modi
Hon'ble Prime Minister of India
South Block,
New Delhi - 110001
Sub. : Release of Prime Minister's Special Scholarship Scheme Funds to the students of J&K studying outside J & K.
Dear Prime Minister,
I am writing to you in connection with the Prime Minister' Special Scholarship Scheme for J&K students studying outside the state of J&K. 5,000 Scholarships were to be granted every year to the students who opted to study outside the state for different courses.
For Academic year 2014-15 till date no Scholarship has been granted to any student of J&K. For '2013-14 about 3,500 Scholarships was granted but 1,500 (approx.) have yet not been granted, though the students were verified by the concerned authorities twice.
For 2012-13, only about 1,500 students of J&K opted to go outside the state for studies and all were granted scholarships.
The Chinar Foundation (an organization recently created which works for the welfare of the people of J&K), of which I am the Patron, in a meeting held in Delhi on 15.01.2015 resolved to appeal to you to look into the matter and release the Scholarships at the earliest. as almost all the students concerned are from poor families and far flung areas of J&K, and are suffering due to non-receipt of scholarships. The students are otherwise entitled and fulfil all the criteria mentioned in the Prime Minister's Special Scholarship Scheme.
It may be mentioned that one of the office bearers of the Chinar Foundation recently met the Union Home & Finance Ministers in this connection. The Hon'ble Union Finance Minister, Shri Arun Jaitley told him that the funds have already been earmarked for the scholarship scheme, and it has only to be released by the Union H.R.D. Ministry after due verification. The Hon'ble Home Minister also endorsed the view that it should be released at the earliest because it is for the welfare of poor students who want to study and build their careers by studying outside J&K.
Unfortunately and regrettably, the Union HRD Ministry is sitting tight over the matter. Therefore, please do the needful at the earliest, so that the students of J&K may get relief by way of getting scholarships and thus continue their studies without any mental and financial pressure.
Thanking you,
For Chinar Foundation
(Justice Markandey Katju)
former Judge, Supreme Court of India
& Patron, Chinar Foundation
& Patron, Chinar Foundation
