PM SHRI scheme; Kerala writes to Centre to stop further proceedings

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala has sent a letter to the Centre, demanding that no further steps be taken in the PM SHRI scheme. The Chief Minister informed about the letter in the cabinet meeting. Protesting against the fact that the letter has not been sent yet, Ministers K Rajan and P Prasad had met the Chief Minister in person and expressed their dissatisfaction. The letter was sent to the Centre subsequently.

A report had earlier emerged that the CPI was unhappy with Kerala not sending a letter to the Centre requesting it to stop further steps in the PM SHRI scheme. CPI was unhappy with the delay in sending the letter despite taking a political decision.

The Centre had allocated Rs 109 crore for the SSK (Samagra Shiksha Kerala) scheme. Kerala received Rs 92.4 crore of this amount the other day. The Union Education Ministry has announced that the remaining Rs 17.6 crore will be released this week itself. This is the fund that was earlier withheld due to the non-signing of PM SHRI.

The letter was sent to inform the Centre that the PM SHRI scheme had been signed, but could not be implemented for the time being. The Chief Minister had seen the letter prepared in the Chief Secretary's office and then reached the office of General Education Secretary K Vasuki. The Department Secretary himself sent the letter to the Centre, after the Advocate General's inspection.