MP Thamizhachi Thangapandian calls Power Grid Corporation's scholarship for EWS students "extremely biased"

DMK Lok Sabha MP Thamizhachi Thangapandian condemned the Power Grid Corporation of India for allocating a Rs 10.5 crore scholarship to the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) students of IIT Madras.

The MP's condemnation came in the wake of the news report that surfaced that the Power Grid Corporation of India has contributed Rs 10.5 crore as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to launch a scholarship programme for BTech students of IIT Madras belonging to EWS.

Via her official Twitter handle, the Lok Sabha MP Thamizhachi Thangapandian posted, "Power Grid Corporation of India while being a Public Sector Enterprise has made an extremely biased allocation of funds at IIT-Madras. Rs. 10.5 crore solely allocated to EWS Scholarship? What about the scholarship funds for SC/ST/OBC students?"

She further added, "This sum is also the single largest CSR funding received by IIT Madras in its last financial year for scholarships. But sad to see that not even a single rupee has been allocated to SC/ST/OBC students" and she urged the Ministry of Power to immediately look at this unfair and casteist allocation of funding made by the corporation that comes under its jurisdiction.

It was announced just last week that the premier institute was partnering with Power Grid Corporation of India to launch a scholarship programme for meritorious BTech students from economically weaker sections (EWS). This fund would support deserving students at IIT Madras, covering their tuition fees through merit-cum-means scholarships.