Cong states say no to PM request

The states refuse to spare more money for central schemes.

The Congress-ruled states have been among the first to turn down Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's appeal to states to contribute more to social sector schemes like the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and Mid-Day Meal Scheme (MDMS). The Planning Commission had made a similar suggestion earlier.

"The states are not in a position to increase their share of funds for programmes like the SSA, which need endless money," Nedurumalli Rajyalakshmi, minister for school and adult education, Andhra Pradesh, told Business Standard.

She said the 75:25 sharing between the Centre and states should continue for the programme to achieve its targets.

"We want the present arrangement to continue at least up to 2010 to make sure that socio-economic programmes like the SSA and MDMS reach target groups systematically," Rajyalakshmi said.

Haryana Finance Minister Ch Birender Singh agrees. "Educational standards in Haryana are falling. To tackle this, we need more funds from the Centre," he said.

"The SSA funds from the Centre are not sufficient to effect a rapid improvement in the primary education sector," Singh said, adding that the Centre's role in social progress was pivotal.

"The Centre should ensure all-round development in sectors like health and education instead of imposing additional burden on state revenues," he said.

Singh says the guidelines for central schemes and packages are hard to follow. "Instead of rules and regulations on using the funds, the Centre should just set targets," he said.

But Rajyalakshmi said Andhra Pradesh had no difficulty in following the norms. "The SSA is running satisfactorily due to regular state and block-level reviews," she said.

The minister differed with the Plan panel's view that the SSA should now focus on secondary education. "We are concentrating on primary education as it leads to a good foundation for the future rather than diluting our approach."