Tamil Nadu CM urges Centre to disburse Rs 2,200 crore funds under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan

CHENNAI: Stating that it does not augur well for cooperative federalism when states seek legal recourse to get the Central funds they are entitled to, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Saturday urged the Union government to disburse Rs 2,200 crore funds under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) due for the state.

This hefty sum, Stalin said, was denied to the state for not signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Union Education Ministry regarding the "PM Shri" scheme. Also, he made a strong pitch for enhancing the state's share in central taxes to 50 per cent and underscored the necessity for a dedicated urban transformation mission in the state.

"Particularly, nearly Rs. 2,200 crore of Union funds have been denied to Tamil Nadu in the year 2024-2025. This affects the education of children studying in government schools and children studying under Right to Education Act ( RTE). Therefore, I urge you to release this fund without delay and without insisting on unilateral conditions," Stalin said addressing the NITI Aayog meeting held in the national capital with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the chair.

"It is not ideal for the cooperative federal structure that states should be given funds after a legal battle. This will affect the development of the state and nation, as well," he said and added that the Centre should extend its support without discrimination, so that Tamil Nadu and other states could achieve their developmental targets.

At the meeting, the Chief Minister outlined Tamil Nadu’s vision for inclusive and sustainable economic development based on equality and social justice. "The moto of our Dravidian Model government is ‘Everything for Everyone’," he said. The state was progressing towards achieving its goal of USD 1 tn economy by 2030.

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"Tamil Nadu has become industrialised throughout. From automobiles to green hydrogen, we have seen strong growth in all emerging sectors," he said and listed out the numerous welfare measures his DMK government has undertaken since it stormed to power in 2021. Earlier, in a post on the social media platform 'X', Stalin said he demanded a rightful 50 per cent share for states in central taxes.

"We currently receive only 33.16 percent against the promised 4," the Chief Minister said in the post. He further said "on the lines of Amrut 2.0, I stressed the need for a dedicated urban transformation mission, as Tamil Nadu is the most urbanised state in India." "Also, I urged a #CleanGanga-style project for Cauvery, Vaigai and Thamirabarani, with names in English for national coherence and regional pride," Stalin added.