PM SHRI Scheme: Kerala can withdraw; govt's claim that it cannot back out falls apart, no major consequences expected

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government's claim that they cannot back out from the PM SHRI project is falling apart. The Center has clarified that if it withdraws from the scheme, nothing much will happen and only the benefits of PM SHRI will be lost. The Center clarified this in a reply to MPs in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

The state government said that they cannot withdraw since the MoU has been signed. Convener Adoor Prakash had clarified in the press meet convened after the UDF meeting that they cannot withdraw from the MoU signed by the previous government. The Kerala government signed the MoU in October 2025. The then Left government's explanation was that it signed the PM SHRI scheme because the Center had withheld SSK funds.

Union Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary clarified about PM SHRI in a reply to Muslim League MP Abdul Wahab in the Rajya Sabha. The union minister clarified that states that don’t sign the MoU and withdraw after signing will not get the benefits of the scheme. The Centre also clarified that there is no obstacle in getting other funds.
Jayant Chowdhury had also said that the government in Kerala had not implemented PM SHRI in schools. He was responding to Jebi Mather in the Rajya Sabha. Signed the deal on October 23, 2025. The minister also said that Kerala was not involved in the process of selecting the schools under it.

Public schools in Kerala did not receive any funds from PM SHRI. The Centre had provided Rs 99.27 crore as part of the Right to Education Act, keeping in mind the various needs of the students. Special funds for the PM SHRI were not given. There is a total of 13092 PM SHRI schools in the state.