The Maharashtra government has launched an ambitious E-Scholarship scheme from the current academic year, for the benefit of 32 lakh students belonging to Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Nomadic Tribes (NTs) across the state.

The total scholarship runs into Rs 1,800 crores per annum and about 32 lakh students from SC/NT and backward communities will benefit from it, Maharashtra Social Justice Minister, Shivajirao Moghe told PTI in an interview.

These students will get this hassle free post-matric scholarship directly through their bank accounts. This will save precious time and energy in doing rounds of colleges and more significantly, check corrupt practises involved, he said.

He said the post-matric scholarship was being implemented in Maharashtra since 1959-60 after the Centre transferred it to the state government. The scholarships are made available to eligible students to all junior and senior colleges. This financial help includes tuition and examination fee for various professional and non-professional courses.

Moghe said as per the previous practise, the scholarships were disbursed after verifications and a lengthy procedure through the district treasuries to respective colleges which was time consuming.

Following this, the Yavatmal MLA, moved a proposal for E-Scholarship in the state cabinet, which approved it.

Accordingly, the District Social Welfare Offices were instructed to stop disbursement of payment by cheques. These offices were directed to ask students to open a saving account in nationalised banks having Core Banking facilities.

Moghe said Mumbai suburban areas were picked up for a pilot project with a direction to complete opening of bank accounts by March 31, 2010. .

The District Social Welfare Officers were clearly instructed not to wait for the software and complete all the formalities by June 30, 2010, and deposit the scholarships in respective students bank accounts from July 1, 2010.

Moreover students were advised to open savings account in such banks where 'Zero Balance' facility was available and to send a SMS immediately on credit of the amount.

The scheme has not only benefited students but has also saved them from corruption involved at various levels where they were asked to shell out money for getting payment through cheques, Moghe said.