After Opposition States Say No to PM-SHRI Scheme, Centre Stops Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan Funds

New Delhi: Following the refusal of three opposition-ruled states to participate in the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM-SHRI) scheme, the BJP government in the Centre has stopped funds to these states under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA).

Opposition-ruled Delhi, Punjab and West Bengal have refused to sign the MoU for the PM-Shri scheme, prompting the Centre to stop their SSA funds, reported The Indian Express.

The PM-SHRI scheme has a budget of over Rs 27,000 crore for the next five years and the Centre is supposed to bear 60 per cent of the financial burden with the states bearing the remaining 40 per cent.

The scheme has an objective of upgrading at least 14,500 government schools into “exemplar” institutions to showcase the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

All states have to confirm their participation by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Education Ministry.

A total of five states including Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Punjab and Delhi are yet to sign the MoU.

While Tamil Nadu and Kerala have expressed their willingness to sign the MoU, Delhi, Punjab and West Bengal have refused, which has resulted in the Centre stopping their SSA funds, reported The Indian Express.

Of the three states, Delhi is waiting for SSA funds amounting to around Rs. 330 crore, Punjab for around Rs. 515 crore and West Bengal for over Rs. 1,000 crore. Despite several letters have been written to the central government, the funds have not been released, reported The Indian Express.

Most of the states have said in their refusal that they are already implementing their own schemes which are aligned with the NEP.

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