Centre presses Keralam for early decision on PM SHRI scheme

The Union government has written to Keralam urging the State to arrive at a decision on the PM SHRI scheme without further delay, General Education Minister N Samsudheen said on Friday.

Speaking to reporters, the Minister said the letter from the Union Education Secretary had reached the State Chief Secretary about two or three days earlier and concerned the implementation of the scheme. It asks that a decision be taken at the earliest so that the remaining schemes can move forward, he said.

The government will discuss the communication before firming up its position, Mr. Samsudheen said, adding that he could not speak on the matter on his own. The Chief Minister, together with the UDF leadership, will take the call and the Chief Minister will make the announcement, he said.

The Minister said opinions on the PM SHRI scheme remain divided within the State and that the government's reservations have not gone away. The UDF had voiced its opposition to the scheme even before the elections, and those concerns persist, which is why the details require closer examination, he said.

The previous LDF government had signed a memorandum of understanding with the Union government to implement the scheme. The agreement was later kept in abeyance after criticism from within the LDF and protests by the UDF.

After the UDF government assumed office, a Cabinet subcommittee was constituted to study the matter and recommend whether the State should go ahead with the scheme or withdraw from it.

The Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme is aimed at upgrading 14,500 schools and is expected to benefit 1.8 million students. It also seeks to develop these institutions as model schools that reflect the spirit of the National Education Policy 2020.