Social Welfare and Backward Classes Minister Kota Srinivas Poojari on Tuesday said that directions had been given to release the scholarships and incentives to students that were pending in both the departments.

A total of ₹55 crore remain as dues from the Social Welfare and Backward Classes departments for 2021–22.

Speaking to reporters here on Tuesday, he said there had been several complaints and he had chaired a review meeting of the departments and later directed for immediate release of the dues. He said the financial incentive of ₹2,000 for those scoring between 60% and 70% and ₹15,000 for those scoring above 70% in SSLC examination was being given. According to the Minister, 1.9 lakh students from backward classes community are yet to get scholarships and incentives for 2019-20 and 2020-21. “I have directed the officials to release the dues within one week,” Mr. Poojari said.

The Minister also said the Government on humanitarian grounds had agreed to pay scholarship to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribe students studying professional courses in private quota. “Each student will get up to ₹1 lakh as scholarship and the government will be incurring an expenditure of ₹9 crore,” he said.