SSA, STARS funds withheld despite Kerala agreeing to PM Shri: V Sivankutty

NEW DELHI: Challenging the education ministry’s reply in parliament, the Kerala general education minister V Sivankutty, on Wednesday, said that the state was refused Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan funds in the last financial year for not signing the PM Shri scheme and not due to the “non-fulfilling of required conditions” as argued by the centre.

“When Kerala reached out to the union education ministry upon not receiving funds, even after submitting the proposal for the final instalment in 2023-24, it was conveyed that the ministry required assurance from the state on signing the PM Shri agreement for the funds to be released. They also asked for a letter in the same model as provided by Odisha and Tamil Nadu. Immediately, Kerala sent across a letter assuring the same. However, the funds were not released citing technicalities,” said Sivankutty, speaking in the assembly.

The minister also said that Kerala is yet to receive the first instalment of SSA funds and the Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States (STARS) funds for the current financial year 2024-25.

The education ministry, in a reply to a parliament question on Monday, had claimed that five states or union territories – Delhi, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Punjab and West Bengal – were not given the third and fourth instalments of Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) funds in 2023-24 due to the “non-fulfilling of required conditions” set by the central government.

These conditions include moving central share of funds to state nodal authority (SNA), transferring state share of funds to SNA, and spending 75% of funds in the SNA, among others. The central-state share of SSA, the largest school programme in the country, is 60:40 for states and union territories, and 90:10 for states in the north-eastern and himalayan regions of the country.

The ministry also said that 12 states and union territories were denied the fourth instalment of SSA funds due to the same reason. It, however, said that Delhi, Punjab, and West Bengal were denied funds for not signing the agreement for the PM Shri scheme. PM Shri is a central scheme which upgrades select government schools into model schools. A share of the expenditure is also to be borne by the states.

No PM Shri, no funds

Kerala education minister V Sivankutty said that the state was refused funds “citing technicalities” even after communicating their willingness to sign onto the PM Shri scheme. The state had sent the letter in February 2024. The minister also said that the centre has never communicated in writing that SSA funds can only be released after signing onto the PM Shri scheme.

“There has been no written communication from the education ministry saying that funds can only be released if the state agrees to the conditions in the PM Shri scheme. Everything was verbally communicated. PM Shri is a scheme to showcase the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. So, being adamant about implementing the scheme in Kerala and refusing funds citing the same is unethical. Even then, the assurance letter was sent to ensure that Kerala students are not deprived of their rights” said Sivankutty.

The minister also said that Kerala submitted a proposal for the first instalment of SSA funds in April itself. However, the state is yet to receive any funds for 2024-25.

Moreover, the state has not been given any funds for the Rs 1,433 crore STARS scheme, out of which Rs 859.63 is to be provided by the centre.

SSA funds released to Kerala in the last five years

This is not the first tiff between the Kerala government and the central government over funds. In September, 2023, the Kerala government and the central government had a similar war-of-words when education minister V Sivankutty accused the centre of not releasing PM Poshan funds – formerly mid-day meal scheme – and the centre accused Kerala of not following proper protocol.