Manipur's Sanskrit pundits reduced to penury

Imphal, May 02: The directorate of education (s) has practically reduced aged Sanskrit pundits to beggars in paying their yearly monetary honour granted by the Union ministry of human resources (department of education). It is also learnt that scholarships for the financial year 2001-2002 has not been distributed to the pundits till date. Yet the fund was released in time by the Union ministry. The Union ministry, under the Central plan scheme, released financial assistance every year to local eminent Sanskrit pundits in indigent manners. The fund was released through Hindi and Sanskrit section of education (s) for development of Sanskrit education in Manipur, according to sources. Local Sanskrit pundits, who have been enjoying the Central scholarships, have been compelled to approach the concerned officials of the secretariat as well as the department of education (s) to gather information about the sanction of fund. The state government officials, who are supposed to serve a copy of notifications about the release and sanction of the fund to every pundit, have never done so for the last three years. As a result, aged pundits have been reduced to a practical beggar for want of information, when the meager amount of yearly scholarship is to be paid to them. The scholarships vary from Rs 1000 to Rs 9000 which were fixed according to annual total earning of each pundit. The Union ministry increases the scholarship amount when the earning of an aged pundit decreases. It is also a natural phenomenon that the earnings of a man decreases as he gets older. However, some beneficiaries have been getting the same amount of scholarship for the last four years. As on 1998-99, the number of beneficiary pundits was nine only. The scholarship existed as far back as 1960. By 1999-2000, the number of beneficiaries shot up to 16. Now the number may have crossed 20. Every year, at the time of collection of scholarships, the pundits submitted a copy of relevant medical as well as income certificate to the joint director, Hindi and Sanskrit, of the education department so as to indicate the present health and income status of the beneficiary pundit. The education (s) department is supposed to inform the concerned authorities of the Union ministry about the death of a pundit and the decrease income of the pundit, so that a widow who is entitled for the benefit, shall continue to enjoy the benefits of her deceased husband and the Union ministry can decide the amount of the scholarship for a pundit whose earning decreased. After the expiry of the widow, the scholarship will be discontinued. It is surprising that some pundits, whose income decreased manifold during the last four years, have been getting the same amount. Local pundits, who are above the age of 55 years and whose monthly income is less than Rs 150, are entitled for the scholarships. However, they should not be beneficiary of cither state or Central scholarships. By submitting an application to the assistant education adviser, Sanskrit of the Union ministry of human resources (department of education), a local pundit can avail the scholarship. Among the beneficiaries are aged pundits from Thoubal Athokpam, Heingang and Nambol. There is also one Nepali pundit from Kanglatombi. The Union ministry has in its notification, stated that the released fund for a financial year should be distributed to the pundits immediately. Due to lack of communication from the side of the state government authorities, pundits have to go to the Secretariat as well as education (s) department personally at that age.