Bhubaneswar, August 30: The Odisha government on Friday announced to discontinue the previous BJD government’s Nutana Unnata Abhilasha (NUA) Odisha scheme, contending that it was ill-intentioned and aimed at influencing the young voters.
The newly formed BJP government headed by chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi has decided to introduce a new scheme to provide financial assistance to students. The proposed scheme, “Financial Assistance to G & PG Students” will be launched soon for the benefit of the students, informed higher education minister Suryabanshi Suraj in the Odisha Legislative Assembly on Friday.
According to the minister, already the process to finalise the guidelines has started.
It is alleged that the previous BJD government spent around Rs 95 crore under the NUA-O scheme only to conduct cultural events in colleges in the state.
Over 5.3 lakh students pursuing graduation courses were provided financial assistance just on the eve of the elections. While each girl student was given Rs 10,000 under the scheme, male students got Rs 9,000 each. The state government spent over Rs 536.44 crore on the scheme.
The BJP, which was then in opposition, had alleged that the NUA-O scheme was launched especially to target new voters. The Congress, another opposition force in the state, had also then questioned the intention of the BJD government to roll out the NUA-O scheme on the eve of Lok Sabha and assembly polls.
“We are not protesting the state government’s decision to discontinue the NUA-O scheme, but we want that the new government must not stop financial assistance to students,” said BJD leader Debi Ranjan Tripathy.
BJP legislator Saroj Padhi said the new government will provide financial assistance to deserving students.
“There are many students who are financially not sound and require hand-holding support from the state government. Our government will identify these economically-weaker students and extend them financial assistance. The previous government had launched the NUA-O scheme ostensibly to influence new voters,” said Padhi.
