Kerala Government to Join PM SHRI Scheme, Ignoring CPI Opposition
Thiruvananthapuram: Despite strong opposition from the CPI, the Kerala state government has decided to sign up for the central education scheme, PM SHRI. Education Minister V. Sivankutty confirmed that the decision has been communicated to the Centre, and the department secretary has been tasked with signing the agreement. The Minister clarified that this is the only viable method for Kerala to secure the pending central share of Rs 1500 crore earmarked for various education projects.
Previously, the CPM and the General Education Department had intended to sign the PM SHRI scheme agreement. However, this initiative faced significant hurdles and had to be postponed twice due to vehement opposition raised by the CPI during cabinet meetings. This time, the government proceeded with the decision without engaging in a discussion at the cabinet meeting. Minister Sivankutty asserted that there was no necessity to discuss this particular matter in either the cabinet or front meetings, highlighting that this decision aligns with the manner in which various other central schemes have been signed by departments such as Agriculture and Higher Education. The momentum for re-evaluating the scheme gained traction following a meeting between Minister V. Sivankutty and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in Delhi last month. Subsequently, Sivankutty also engaged in discussions with the Chief Minister and the leadership of the party.
PM SHRI is a comprehensive scheme designed to enhance educational infrastructure by selecting two schools in each block for development with central government assistance. Under this scheme, participating schools are slated to receive an average of Rs 1 crore annually over a period of five years. Initially, the Kerala state government had voiced concerns, primarily fearing that an agreement to join PM SHRI would inevitably lead to the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) across the state. Another apprehension was the requirement for participating schools to prominently display a “PM SHRI School” board at their premises.
The General Education Department underscored that the central allocation of Rs 1500 crore for projects being executed through Samagra Shiksha Kerala (SSK) has been deliberately withheld for the past two years, solely due to the state’s reluctance to sign the PM SHRI agreement. This withholding of funds has plunged the salaries of over six thousand SSK employees into a state of crisis. Nevertheless, Minister V. Sivankutty reiterated that even with the signing of the PM SHRI agreement, Kerala would staunchly refuse to implement any provisions that are not approved by the state, explicitly mentioning the controversial proposal regarding the removal of historical facts from the syllabus.