Question : AWARDS UNDER TALENT MOTIVATION SCHEME

(a) whether 43 awards per class have been prescribed from 9th to 12th class students under Talent Motivation Scheme for Scheduled Tribes in Madhya Pradesh;

(b) whether these awards are sufficient keeping in view the population of the tribals in the State;

(c) whether the State Government has sent any proposal for 425 awards instead of prescribed 172 awards;

(d) whether a proposal for an amount of Rs. 77.40 lakh under Talent Motivation Scheme is also lying pending with the Union Government; and

(e) if so, by when it is likely to be cleared?

MINISTER OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS (SHRI P.R. KYNDIAH)

(a)& (b) Under the scheme of Upgradation of Merit a total number of 4 X 370 i.e. 1480 awards have been distributed among all the concerned States in the ratio of the tribal population of the respective States. On the basis of this distribution a total of 172 awards have been allocated to the State Government. of Madhya Pradesh. This distribution is based on the funds available for the purpose.

(c ) During the last two years no such proposal has been received.

(d) & (e) Proposal received from State Government for Rs. 77.40 lakh during 2004-05 was incomplete. The complete information was provided by the State Government at the end of the year 2004-05. Therefore, the grant could not be released in the year 2004-05. However, out of Rs. 77.40 lakh, an amount of Rs. 59,97,306 has already been sanctioned on 7-4-2005. The remaining amount will also be released in the current financial year.