TN takes exception to Centre reducing share in SSA scheme

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa today took exception to the Centre's proposal to reduce funding for the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan scheme and sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention in the matter.
The HRD Ministry in its letter to state governments indicated that the Finance Ministry would release only 50 per cent of the outlay for the scheme as the central share as against originally committed 75 per cent, Jayalalithaa said in a letter to Modi.
"SSA is a very important scheme implementing the Right to Education Act, 2009, a Central legislation intended to achieve the national goal of Universal Elementary Education."

It was "unfair and unjustified" to reduce the central share for funding for the scheme, she said.
Besides, it was also against the assurance given in the Union Budget 2015-16, which has also been voted by the Parliament.
She said the Governing Council of NITI Aayog set up a Sub-Group of Chief Ministers to make recommendations on Centrally Sponsored Schemes and Tamil Nadu has taken a stand that a centrally-sponsored scheme must have a central share of at least 75 per cent.

"When the issue is engaging attention at the highest level, a unilateral reduction by the Human Resource Development Ministry in the share of central funding for SSA is not called for," she said.

Stating that Tamil Nadu has been working on ensuring free education for children in the age group of 6-14 years, she said, "for 2015-16 alone, Rs 20,936.50 crore has been provided for School Education in the State's budget."
The state government has formulated various programmes for the effective implementation of RTE Act keeping in mind the Centre-State sharing pattern of 65:35 ratio.
"We were confident that no change in the funding pattern would be effected by the Centre", she said.
Pointing out that the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission were "very adverse" to the state, she said, "Tamil Nadu actually stands to lose Rs 6,000 crore per annum as a result of it.

The "sudden" and "unilateral" decision to change the sharing pattern from 65:35 to 50:50 would "jeopardize" implementation of SSA scheme in Tamil Nadu, the Chief Minister said.
She urged Modi to intervene immediately in the matter and direct the HRD and Finance Ministries to ensure that Centre provides at least 75 per cent of funding for SSA scheme.
In the interim, she urged the government to immediately restore the sharing pattern to at least existing ratio of 65:35 in the scheme.