"If you have so much money for advertising": SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema hits out at AAP over Post Matric scholarship scheme

Chandigarh [India], December 29 : Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Daljit Singh Cheema on Sunday slammed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab, demanding an unconditional apology to Scheduled Caste (SC) students.
The controversy revolves around the state government's release of only 37.5 per cent of the Post Matric Scholarship Scheme for SC students in 2024-25.
According to Cheema, the AAP government has admitted to releasing only Rs 92 crore out of the total Rs 245 crore allocated for the scheme. This, despite a lapse of nine months, is a dismal performance.
In a post on X Daljit Singh Cheema said, "The AAP-led Punjab Govt has admitted in its full-page advertisements issued in different newspapers today that so far in the year 2024-25 it has released only 37.5 per cent of the Post Matric Scholarship Scheme for SC students. It is very clear from the figures published in the advertisements that out of the total Rs 245 Cr allocated for 2024-25, only Rs 92 Cr has been released."
He questioned the government's priorities, wondering why they were spending money on full-page advertisements instead of releasing the full amount earmarked for the scheme.
"With this dismal performance, the state government should have tendered an unconditional apology to SC students that even after a lapse of nine months it could release only 37.5 per cent. But instead, it is issuing full-page advertisements !!! If you have so much money for advertising, it would be better to release 100 per cent of the money earmarked for the year. In addition, there is no clear mention of the dates of release of the amount pending from 2016-2020," he further said.
Earlier Punjab Minister of Social Justice, empowerment and Minorities Baljit Kaur said that AAP Government allocated Rs 92 crore to 250 colleges from the 2024-25 budget under the Post Matric Scholarship for Scheduled Caste Students scheme.
Addressing the media, Kaur announced the difficulties being faced by the scheme and said that with the AAP government's rule in the state, a total of Rs 92 crore were released to 250 colleges.
"Rs 1.563 crore were pending since 2023, and since 2023 we have allocated a total of Rs 92 crores to 250 colleges which were affected due to the Congress government in rule here," said Kaur.
Further, Kaur accused the previous Congress govt of stopping the release of the funds.
"The Post Metric Scholarship scheme, sponsored by the central government, is for the poor students and for those who face difficulties while completing their education. Changes were made in the scheme when Congress was ruling in such a manner that no money was given for the scheme," she said.
Kaur appealed to the Central government to release the 60 per cent shares in the scheme.
"The Central Government should also release its 60 percent share in this scheme soon because the Punjab Government has already released its entire share," she added.
The Minister also promised that the children would not be deprived of their education and appeals were being made to the government to release the funds."Children of the poor will not be deprived of education and we are appealing to the government to release the funds for the scheme," the Minister said.
The Post Matric scholarship scheme aims to focus on children from poor households and provide them with financial assistance at the post-matriculation or post-secondary stage to help them complete their education.