Chennai, Feb 20 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to immediately release ₹2,152 crore of Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) funds for the state.
In a letter to PM Modi on Thursday, CM Stalin strongly objected to the Centre’s decision to link the SSA with the PM SHRI scheme, arguing that these are two distinct centrally-sponsored programmes.
He emphasised that such a move contradicts the principles of cooperative federalism and adversely affects lakhs of students and teachers in Tamil Nadu.
The Chief Minister urged PM Modi to ensure that SSA funds are released without linking them to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
He accused the Centre of using fund allocation as a pressure tactic to compel states into adopting centrally-mandated policies, which he described as a blatant violation of cooperative federalism.
CM Stalin further argued that such conditional fund disbursement undermines the rights of states to shape their own education policies based on their specific needs.
“I look forward to your personal intervention in this matter, considering the sensitivity of the issue,” he wrote in his letter.
The Chief Minister also expressed deep concern over recent remarks made by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who indicated that Tamil Nadu’s SSA funds would not be released unless the state implemented NEP in its entirety and adopted the three-language policy.
CM Stalin noted that this statement has caused significant anxiety and unrest among students, political parties, and the general public in Tamil Nadu.
He also pointed out that even central institutions like Navodaya Vidyalayas have not been established in Tamil Nadu due to the state’s opposition to the three-language policy.
He reiterated that Tamil Nadu has remained steadfast in its commitment to a two-language policy, which is deeply rooted in its educational and social framework.
Additionally, he highlighted that Tamil Nadu is exempt from implementing the Official Languages Act, 1963, as per the Official Languages Rules, 1976.
CM Stalin reminded PM Modi that Tamil Nadu had already conveyed its strong concerns regarding certain provisions of NEP through letters and a memorandum in 2024. However, despite multiple representations, SSA funds for the 2024-25 financial year remain withheld.
–IANS
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