Mizoram: MZP calls off agitation after assurance from state government over disbursement of scholarships to students

AIZAWL: Mizoram's apex study body Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) called off its agitation late on Thursday after the state government assured disbursement of scholarships following approval by the election commission.

Hundreds of students under the aegis of MZP, have been protesting since Tuesday over the alleged negligence by state scholarship board to disburse the scholarship money.

They demanded that the second installment of scholarship money be immediately released to the beneficiaries.

The protesters staged sit-in protest outside the Mizoram scholarship board office in Aizawl and prevent the officials from entering office on Thursday.

After a meeting with chief minister Zoramthanga, who asked the scholarship board and higher and technical education department to release the scholarship money on Thursday, the students decided to intensify their agitation by going on indefinite hunger strike.

Earlier in the day, scholarship board officials had said that the scholarship money was not disbursed due to the model code of conduct being in placed due the state assembly polls held on November 7 and that they are waiting for the Election Commission's approval.

Counting of votes will take place on December 3.

MZP general secretary Chinkhanmanga Thomte said that the agitation was called off at 8:30 pm on Thursday as the Election Commission has approved the petition to disburse the scholarship money.

It has also been verified that the state scholarship board decided to immediately disburse the money following the Election Commission's approval, he said.

According to the student organisation president H. Lalthianghlima, a total of 19,495 students, including 3,010 studying outside the state, are entitled to receive scholarships.

He said that the state government received over Rs. 17.87 crore funds for disbursement of scholarships for second installment in September.