Make educational scholarships demand driven: Montek

Stating that the money allocated for educational scholarships is going unutilised, Planning Commission’s Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia Sunday said the scholarships should be made demand driven.

“Scholarships should be demand determined so that those who rightfully need the help get it,” Ahluwalia said at a seminar here today.

He said ministries often tell the plan panel about funds allocated for scholarships going unclaimed, and hence, there is a need to look into the issue.

The ministries have in the past asked the planning commission to adopt various approaches, including a community focused one, so that resources reach the beneficiaries.

External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, who also spoke at the seminar, said there is a need to extend the sops given to the minority—concentrated districts to towns with heavy composition of notified minority communities elsewhere.

Ahluwalia conceded that there is no such scheme at present and said the panel will seriously look into matter.

He said the commission has already started work on a mid—term appraisal of the ongoing 12th Five Year Plan, though a new government will result in the reconstitution of the panel.