Lucknow, Sep 26 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday distributed scholarships to nearly 4 lakh students. He said that the era of discrimination in the scheme has now come to an end. A total of Rs 89.97 crore was deposited in the bank accounts of 3,96,602 students in the state. The distribution of scholarships is aimed at enhancing the educational environment as well as ensuring that children focus on studies without worrying about finances. Speaking at the event, Yogi said that earlier scholarships were often delayed and restricted, with many students deprived of their due. “Today, scholarships are directly credited to students' accounts through DBT. In the past, thousands were left out, but now, with verification through technology and Artificial Intelligence, the system has become transparent and inclusive. Minority students, too, are being provided with advanced facilities,” he said. 

CM Yogi underlined the importance of education as the foundation of social upliftment. “Babasaheb used to say that no government can ensure welfare without good education. We must use the best facilities provided by the government to move forward, instead of becoming dependent on the government,” he said. He said the government is continuously expanding the scope of scholarships. CM Yogi also invoked India’s journey towards 2047. “This year marks the Centenary Resolution Year. We are moving ahead with the 2047 Resolution Campaign to lay the foundation of a developed India and a developed Uttar Pradesh,” he said. He further warned against “divisive forces” that, he said, once enslaved the country and are now trying to obstruct development under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.

“They are working to divide society. Our efforts should be to unite people -- to ensure that every child, especially the deprived, gets access to quality education,” he added. The Chief Minister also recalled that before 2017, there was “discrimination” in the distribution of scholarships. “When our government came to power in 2017, we cleared scholarships for 2016-17 and 2017-18 simultaneously,” he said. On the occasion, the Chief Minister symbolically handed over scholarship cheques to selected students.