Kerala Minister V. Sivankutty: PM Shri Letter Not Delayed, First SSK Fund Installment Received After Two Years
Thiruvananthapuram: Education Minister V. Sivankutty announced that the first installment of the SSK (Samagra Shiksha Kerala) fund has been received after two years. This fund is provided under the Right to Education Act. He expressed hope that funds for special educators teaching children with disabilities would be released soon. Sivankutty also stated that the state would secure all eligible central funds. Out of the 109 crore rupees sanctioned, 92.41 crore rupees have been disbursed, with the remaining 17 crore expected this week.
Under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan scheme, Kerala is due a total outstanding amount of 1158 crore rupees from the Central Government. This includes arrears from the past two years and the allocation for the current financial year. The outstanding amounts are: 188.58 crore for 2023-24, 513.14 crore for 2024-25, and 456.1 crore for 2025-26.
The Minister stated that he is not claiming the PM Shri scheme as an achievement. An order has been issued to form a cabinet sub-committee. Minister V. Sivankutty clarified that sending the letter to freeze the agreement would take time, and only that much time has been taken. The sub-committee’s meeting after today’s cabinet meeting will involve discussions with other ministers. Minister Sivankutty also announced that he would meet the Union Education Minister on November 10.
Minister Sivankutty asserted that the CPI has no issues with the PM Shri scheme controversy. He criticized certain media outlets, stating they were “crying” over the matter. He drew a contrast with the Congress party, where he claimed one individual dictates decisions, unlike the LDF, which operates through a committee and moves forward collectively.
The Minister further stated that there have been no gains or losses in the PM Shri controversy. He reiterated that the letter to be sent to the Centre has not been intentionally delayed, attributing any delay to natural procedural timeframes. Legal advice on sending the letter is expected soon, after which it will be dispatched. He also expressed his belief that the CPI is not concerned about the delay in the letter and confirmed that the order forming the sub-committee has been issued.