Wed Mar 26 17:43:44 UTC 2025: ## Parliament Panel Urges Centre to Release Over ₹4,000 Crore in Education Funds to Three States

**New Delhi, March 26, 2025** – A Parliamentary Standing Committee has called on the Ministry of Education to immediately release over ₹4,000 crore in delayed Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) funds to West Bengal, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. The committee’s report, tabled in the Rajya Sabha Wednesday, criticizes the withholding of these funds, linking the delay to the states’ refusal to fully implement the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and sign MoUs for the PM SHRI school development scheme.

The report highlights that over ₹1,000 crore is owed to West Bengal, ₹859.63 crore to Kerala, and ₹2,152 crore to Tamil Nadu. While 33 states and union territories have signed the PM SHRI MoU, the committee argues that tying SSA funding – a program designed to enforce the Right to Education Act – to participation in the PM SHRI scheme is unjustified. The committee emphasizes that the SSA predates the NEP and is crucial for achieving the RTE Act’s goals.

The panel notes that withholding funds is severely impacting teacher salaries, RTE reimbursements, and student transportation, particularly in remote areas. It further observes that Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal have consistently demonstrated strong educational outcomes, exceeding the national average. The delayed funds hamper their ability to improve school infrastructure, teacher training, and student support.

The committee recommends that the Ministry of Education re-evaluate its funding allocation process to ensure no state is disadvantaged for not fully embracing NEP 2020 or the PM SHRI scheme. The immediate release of the pending SSA funds is deemed crucial to prevent further disruption to education services in the three affected states.

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