'Centre ready to release funds if states implement schemes in letter and spirit'

New Delhi: Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday urged the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu to implement central schemes in letter and spirit and not put conditions on their implementation to help release funds to them.

Responding to supplementaries during Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha, the minister said Kerala and Tamil Nadu had not been implementing some central schemes and that is why funds to them have been held up.

He even made a mention of West Bengal, which he alleged, has used funds under the scheme for their party politics instead.

He said that Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, National Education Policy and PM-Shree scheme are all federal government policies implemented with the cooperation of states.

At one point of time, the Kerala government agreed to sign agreement on PM-Shree scheme, but later retracted, he claimed.

He said the same about Tamil Nadu, which had agreed to implement the PM-Shree scheme, but later went back on its words.

"It is their problem, they are facing dilemma due to their internal contradictions in the alliance and that is why they are not implementing PM Shree," he said.

"Two other states have not agreed to implement PM-Shree scheme and that include Tamil Nadu. Subsequent discussion are held with Tamil Nadu. I am open and ready to cooperate with any state who will come to union government," he added.

"Whether it is Tamil Nadu, Kerala or West Bengal, the Centre is ready to release funds," the minister said, adding that last week, the Supreme Court had given an opinion on a PIL why Tamil Nadu is not implementing central schools and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, which was not envisaged by BJP.

"Tamil Nadu cannot put conditions. This is Tamil Nadu children's money and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is committed to giving that money to respective states, also to Tamil Nadu. But, you have to implement central schemes in letter and spirit," Pradhan said.

He said other Opposition-ruled states like Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Telangana are getting funds appropriately.

In Kerala, he said, the entitlement of the state for this year is around Rs 452 crore.

"We are ready to release all the money subject to the conditions of implementation of National Education Policy, which they have agreed to implement. I again appeal to their government on what is the compulsion. They may have internal compulsions and internal conflict between your alliance, but why you are putting that burden on the people of Kerala. Sort it out yourself and come take your money," the minister said.

Earlier, John Brittas (CPI-M) said the cardinal objective of this House is to protect federalism and asked that why all of a sudden, the minister has taken a stand that unless the states sign PM-Shree, they would not release funds for states in Samagra Shiksha.

"Have you ever seen such a haphazard stand taken by any government," he pointed out to the non-sanction of funds for Kerala under Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan.

"Is it part of arm-twisting or politically motivated policy and stand of the Centre by denying release of funds. Is it part of your political scheme?," Brittas questioned, urging the government to delink PM-Shree with Samagra Shiksha scheme as it should not be linked to any other scheme launched later.

Responding to Brittas, Pradhan said he has tried to "mislead the House with his eloquent speaking style".

"This is not a partisan policy of union government," he said quoting data related to allocation of funds to other non-BJP states under the scheme.

In his written reply, Pradhan said, "The Department of School Education & Literacy is implementing the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Samagra Shiksha in partnership with all the States and UTs."

"Financial assistance is provided to all States and UTs for various components for implementation of the interventions under Samagra Shiksha as per norms. Accordingly, the annual plans under Samagra Shiksha are prepared by States and UTs based on their requirements and priority and this is reflected in their respective Annual Work Plan and Budget (AWP&B)," he said.

These plans are then appraised and approved/estimated by Project Approval Board (PAB) in consultation with the States and UTs as per the programmatic and financial norms of the scheme.

"The release of Central share depends on the submission of the utilisation certificates, audit reports in respect of funds released earlier, physical and financial progress reports, State contributions and compliance with the scheme norms," he said, providing a list of state-wise details of Central Share approved by the Project Approval Board and the Central Share released under Samagra Shiksha for the last three years.