Jharkhand CM Urges PM for Urgent Action on Scholarship Funding Shortfall
In a significant appeal, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has reached out to Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding a pressing issue affecting many students in the state. He highlighted a funding gap of over ₹700 crore in scholarship support from the central government over the last two financial years.
In his letter, Soren noted that Jharkhand requested ₹724.08 crore for post-matric scholarships for the years 2024-25 and 2025-26. However, the central government only allocated ₹91.79 crore for this purpose. Specifically, while the state asked for ₹370.87 crore for 2025-26, it received just ₹58.22 crore. Similarly, for 2024-25, out of the requested ₹353.21 crore, only ₹33.57 crore was sanctioned.
The chief minister expressed concern that this funding shortfall has delayed scholarship payments for thousands of students, jeopardizing their education. He urged the Prime Minister to ensure that the pending funds are released promptly.
Moreover, Soren called for increased central support for both pre-matric and post-matric scholarship programs. He pointed out that Jharkhand had requested ₹66.14 crore for pre-matric scholarships in 2024-25 but was only granted ₹12.61 crore. For the year 2025-26, the state requested ₹45.91 crore, receiving a mere ₹3.95 crore.
Additionally, he asked the central government to reinstate scholarship schemes for minority students, which have been inactive since the 2021-22 academic year. Soren emphasized the necessity for prompt action, stating, “I seek the Prime Minister’s urgent intervention for the release of scholarship funds to Jharkhand,” stressing that the lack of financial support is affecting many economically disadvantaged students in the region.
