Chennai: “During the 2017-23 period, educational assistance was provided late to 31,510 SC and ST students,” the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India has criticized.
Regarding scholarship schemes for SC, ST, and SC-converted Christian students, the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India says: With the aim of improving the literacy rate and educational standards of SC and ST students, various scholarship schemes are being implemented for them by the central and state governments.
Due to a lack of adequate awareness about this, during the 2019-20 period, the pre-matric and post-matric scholarship schemes for SC and ST students in the specified 8 districts reached only an average of 46 percent and 39 percent of schools, respectively.
During the 2017-23 period, in the specified educational institutions, scholarship assistance worth Rs. 7.28 crore was provided to 36,510 SC and ST students with a delay ranging from one month to one year.
During the same period, due to reasons such as bank account freeze, transaction stoppage, and no bank account, scholarship amounts totaling Rs. 161 crore for 3,530 people could not be credited to bank accounts and were returned.
Similarly, in the years 2023-25, because 2,576 SC converted Christian students who were not eligible to receive the central scholarship were given the 60 percent share of the scholarship from the central government, Rs. 3.64 crore had to be paid incorrectly.
Audit Committee Recommendations
Before approving scholarships for SC and ST students, the government should ensure that student admissions under the management quota in educational institutions are carried out transparently.
The government should examine their applications to ensure that scholarships are granted only to eligible students. Scholarships should be disbursed in the same academic year.
Weak financial structure
In 2024-2025, the state's gross domestic product growth rose to 15.98 percent from 13.34 percent recorded in the previous year. The state economy registered strong growth.
The state consistently performed better than the national average in per capita income. This indicates that the state has a strong economy.
Despite this favorable economic environment, the state's finances were under pressure. Over the three years from 2022-23 to 2024-25, non-tax revenue increased by 29.72 percent.
Although grants from the central government declined by 34.86 percent, the impact on revenue receipts was partly offset by an increase in the state's share of central taxes and a 7.74 percent growth in own tax revenue.
The state’s financial condition reflected a contradiction: strong economic growth alongside a persistent fiscal crisis. Although deficit levels and debt ratios were within the prescribed limits, the underlying fiscal structure remained weak.
Waste of tax money
In Tamil Nadu, where 12 cities were planned to be developed as “smart cities,” Dindigul was rejected due to a flaw in the proposal, and only 11 cities were selected.
The revenue of Rs.57.72 crore collected in these cities was not passed on to the project implementation agencies and was instead used by the local bodies themselves.
Of the Rs.1,630 crore planned under public-private partnership, only 4 works worth just Rs.16.57 crore were carried out. In addition, 52 projects worth Rs.1,602 crore were abandoned without being implemented.
Rs.9,500 crore loss to the electricity board
The Indian audit report states that the electricity board suffered a loss of Rs.9,500 crore due to irregularities in coal procurement and delays in implementing projects.