PRAYAGRAJ, Aug. 7 -- A scholarship and educational assistance scheme meant for the children and dependents of freedom fighters in Uttar Pradesh has remained virtually defunct for years, with the annual budget allocation going unutilised due to a lack of applications and awareness among eligible beneficiaries. Under the scheme, the state government earmarks a token allocation of Rs.10,000 every financial year. However, the entire amount is surrendered to the government before the close of the financial year as no applications are received from eligible beneficiaries. As of August 2026, official data from the ministry of home affairs under the Swatantrata Sainik Samman Yojana records 342 central pension beneficiaries among spouses and eligible daughters (313 spouses and 29 daughters), alongside 35 surviving freedom fighters, bringing the total central beneficiaries in Uttar Pradesh to 377. In a recent communication, a copy of which HT has, additional director of education (secondary) Kamta Ram Pal directed all district inspectors of schools to submit proposals for the scheme for the 2026-27 financial year. "Despite budgetary provision during 2025-26, the allocated funds could not be utilised because no applications or demand proposals were received from eligible beneficiaries, forcing the department to surrender the amount before the financial year ended," he said. The official has asked all DIoSs to submit fresh applications and demand proposals for 2026-27 along with detailed reports. They have also been directed to explain why no proposals were sent during the previous financial year, confirmed a senior official of basic education department. The scheme provides scholarships to students who are children or dependents of recognised freedom fighters. Students of Classes 6 to 8 are entitled to a monthly scholarship of Rs.8 each, while students at the high school level receive Rs.15 per month and intermediate students Rs.25 per month. In addition, book assistance of Rs.50, Rs.75 and Rs.100 is provided to students at the junior, high school and intermediate levels respectively. Officials said poor awareness among eligible families has resulted in almost no applications being filed. Education department sources also admitted that district authorities have not been reporting whether there are no eligible beneficiaries, making it difficult for the government to review or discontinue the scheme. At the same time, no serious effort has been made at the directorate level to revise the scholarship amount or enhance other educational assistance, despite the financial support remaining unchanged for decades. Fewer than one-and-a-half dozen recognised freedom fighters are recorded as surviving in Uttar Pradesh. As per an official figure, there is an average annual decline of roughly 13 freedom fighters. The count fell to 15 individuals by mid-2025, down sharply from 73 in December 2020. State estimates note that living freedom fighters from the independence era are nearly completely vanishing. However, hundreds of registered dependents and spouses continue to receive state and central pensions....