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An inter-State gang is involved in a fraud targeting West Bengal's Taruner Swapno scheme
The scam involves diverting funds meant for students to buy tablets and smartphones, with money siphoned off to other accounts.
The West Bengal Police has set up a joint investigation team with the CID and cybercrime to probe the issue.
93 cases (FIRs) have been filed, 11 people arrested, and funds meant for 1,911 students have been misappropriated.
Taruner Swapno scheme
The Taruner Swapno Scheme is a West Bengal government initiative to bridge the digital divide among students.
It provides a one-time grant of ₹10,000 to higher secondary students to buy smartphones or tablets.
The scheme aims to ensure students in remote areas can access online education and digital resources.
In the 2024-25 financial year, the West Bengal government allocated about ₹900 crore for the scheme.
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