The state government will provide financial assistance to 13 lakh students of government and government-aided aided schools but at a later date and without the usual ceremony, education minister Bratya Basu said on Thursday.

“You all know that we have lost a daughter of ours at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.... It is in this context that we could not observe the Teachers’ Day programme in a grand manner on September 5. Rather, we unceremoniously observed the day at Bikash Bhavan (the secretariat of the education department). We usually offer financial support to students as part of the Taruner Swapna scheme on Teachers’ Day,” Basu told reporters at Bikash Bhavan on Thursday.

“At a later date, we will provide support to the students and felicitate the board examination toppers — something usually done on Teachers’ Day. It is being said in a section of the media that the support will not be provided at all this year. Some have started believing in what is being spread. But this is untrue and one should not pay any heed,” he said.

The programme on Teachers’ Day was scheduled to take place at the Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan on September 5.

The state government planned to transfer ₹10,000 each to the bank accounts of 13 lakh students studying in Class XI and XII to enable them to buy tabs under the Taruner Swapna scheme, which was launched in 2021 during the Covid pandemic.

Sources in the department said a total of ₹1,300 crore had been allocated to help students to buy tabs.

However, doubts had been raised about the implementation of the scheme after a joint secretary of the department issued an order on September 2 announcing the cancellation of the allotment of funds for the project.

“This triggered doubts about the implementation of the scheme. Therefore, the minister today told a press conference that the Taruner Swapna scheme will be implemented at a later date. The September 2 order was a mere formality following the cancellation of the programme at the Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan,” said an official of the department.

The scheme was floated by chief minister Mamata Banerjee and therefore the question of cancellation does not arise at all, the official said.

According to sources, apart from providing support to buy tabs, the government will felicitate 61 prominent teachers, 608 board toppers and 13 schools.

The 61 teachers will get ₹25,000 each and the 13 best schools will get ₹1 lakh each.

Each of the 608 board toppers will be given a laptop, a wristwatch, a medal and a
certificate, along with 10 books, which include Gitabitan by Rabindranath
Tagore and two books — Kobita Bitan and Alokbartika — by Mamata.