According to media reports, the Education Ministry has halted funds under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) to Delhi, Punjab, and West Bengal due to their reluctance to participate in the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM-SHRI) scheme. While five states — Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Delhi, Punjab, and West Bengal — have yet to sign the MoU, Tamil Nadu and Kerala have expressed willingness, but Delhi, Punjab, and West Bengal have refused.
Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM-SHRI) scheme, with a budget exceeding Rs 27,000 crore for the next five years, requires the Centre to cover 60% of the financial burden while the states handle 40%. Its goal is to upgrade at least 14,500 government schools into “exemplar” institutions to demonstrate the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. To participate, states must sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Education Ministry.
