Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal did not receive any funds from the Centre under the Samagra Shiksha scheme for the 2024-25 financial year, as stated by the Union education ministry in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
The Samagra Shiksha scheme, introduced in 2018, aims to support elementary and secondary education in India. The Union government allocates funds to states for various educational purposes, such as textbooks, infrastructure improvements, and teacher salaries.
However, the Ministry of Education revealed that while Kerala was allocated ₹328.90 crore, Tamil Nadu ₹2,151.60 crore, and West Bengal ₹1,745.80 crore, no funds had been released to these states by March 27.
This information came in response to a question by Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP, John Brittas, about the delay in fund distribution. According to the data, Uttar Pradesh received the highest allocation under the scheme, with ₹6,971.26 crore, and had already received Rs 4,487.46 crore by the same date.
Also read: Annamalai steps down, BJP to name new chief by April 9
Overall, the Centre had allocated ₹45,830.21 crore to 36 states and Union Territories for the current financial year. By March 27, ₹27,833.50 crore had been disbursed, but Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal were excluded from this.
The funds are released to states based on several criteria, including the pace of expenditure, submission of audited accounts, and up-to-date expenditure reports. This delay has caused difficulties in these states, particularly in Tamil Nadu, where teachers have faced salary delays due to the lack of funds.
The withholding of funds to Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal is linked to their refusal to implement the PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme.
The centrally-sponsored PM SHRI scheme aims to improve the infrastructure of schools run by various bodies. To avail of the benefits, states must sign a memorandum of understanding with the Centre to implement the 2020 National Education Policy (NEP).
Tamil Nadu has expressed strong opposition to the NEP, particularly the three-language formula, which requires teaching English, Hindi, and a regional language. The state government insists on continuing its two-language policy of teaching Tamil and English.
Follow us
