The right hand of the Punjab Government apparently does not know what the left hand is doing. The State Social Welfare Minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot on Thursday virtually landed with a foot in his mouth for virtually giving a “clean chit” to the erstwhile the SAD-BJP Government on alleged diversion of funds from the post matric scholarship scheme for SC students — an assertion strongly refuted by a Congress MlA.
The controversy came to an end with the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh admitting “huge diversion of funds” while assuring the House to conduct a thorough probe.
He assured the House that the entire matter of fund diversion from the post matric scholarship scheme for SC students would be thoroughly examined to fix the accountability and identify lapses, if any. He maintained that a strict action would be taken against anyone found guilty of such lapses.
His assurance came after the Minister in-charge Dharamsot declared that “no funds were transferred under the post matric scholarship scheme”.
Dharamsot was responding to the query raised by AAP MlA Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal regarding diversion of funds and inordinate delay on the part of the Centre in releasing funds for disbursement of scholarships to the eligible students under Post Matric Scholarship Scheme for SCs.
Congress MlA Kuljit Singh Nagra, in contradiction to Dharamsot’s assertion, claimed that a lot of funds were diverted by the previous SAD-BJP Government due to which an inquiry was also conducted against the then Akali Minister, which eventually gave him a clean chit. He demanded that an inquiry should be conducted into the funds diversion, following which Chief Minister assured the House.