Central Fund Disbursement Freeze Under Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan: Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal Affected
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| States Affected | Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal |
| Scheme | Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) |
| Total Central Allocation | ₹ 45,830.21 crore (for 36 States and UTs) |
| Funds Released | ₹ 27,833.50 crore (released to all states/UTs except Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal) |
| Approved Allocations | Kerala: ₹ 328.90 crore, Tamil Nadu: ₹ 2,151.60 crore, West Bengal: ₹ 1,745.80 crore |
| Key Figure | Minister of State for Education Jayant Choudhary |
| Parliamentary Query | Raised by CPI(M) MP John Brittas in the Rajya Sabha |
| Criteria for Fund Release | Compliance with expenditure pace, state's matching share, audited accounts, etc. |
| Policy Disagreements | Tamil Nadu refused to implement NEP's three-language formula and PM-SHRI schools MoU |
| Parliamentary Panel's View | Criticized linking SSA funds with unrelated schemes like PM-SHRI as "not justifiable" |
| Impact | Delayed teacher salaries, disrupted RTE reimbursements, hindered transportation services, etc. |