AIZAWL, Nov 16: A student protest in Aizawl over the delay in
the disbursement of scholarships entered the third day on
Thursday.
Agitators, under the aegis of Mizoram’s apex student body
Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), have been staging a sit-in
demonstration outside the Mizoram Scholarship Board office
here since Tuesday demanding the immediate disbursement of
the second installment of scholarship money to over 19,000
beneficiaries.
The protesters on Thursday prevented scholarship board
officials from entering the office.
Chief minister Zoramthanga has held a meeting with
scholarship board officials and leaders of MZP over the matter.
The outcome of the meeting, however, is yet to be known.
MZP president H Lalthianghlima claimed that the state
government has received over Rs 17.87 crore funds for the
disbursement of scholarships on September 25.
He alleged that the officials did not make sincere efforts to
release the scholarship money and negligence on their part has
affected thousands of students.
He claimed that 19,495 students, including 3,010 studying
outside the state, are entitled to receive the money under the
second installment of the scholarship.
Scholarship board officials, however, claimed that the money
was not disbursed due to the imposition of the model code of
conduct in view of the state assembly polls held on November
7.
They said that they were waiting for permission from the
Election Commission to release the scholarship amount.
Earlier, on Tuesday, leaders of MZP also met the state joint
chief electoral officer and sent a letter to the election
commission over the matter.
They also met Chief Secretary Renu Sharma on Wednesday and
informed her of the problems faced by students. (PTI)
