Kerala has officially notified the Union government of its decision to suspend the implementation of the PM SHRI (Prime Minister’s School for the Rise of India) program in the state until a Cabinet sub-committee formed to review the deal takes a decision.
Principal Secretary Education K. Vasuki sent a communication to the Union Government on Wednesday.
General Education Minister V. Sivankutty said the government had consulted the advocate general to assess the legal implications of the cabinet’s decision and then sent the letter.
The state cabinet two weeks ago decided to freeze the implementation of the Union government’s flagship program PM SHRI after the Communist Party of India, a coalition partner in the ruling Left Democratic Front government in the state, opposed the administration signing off on the program without any consultation in the cabinet or the LDF.
It was also decided to formally communicate this decision to the Union Government.
Days later, the letter remained undelivered even as Mr. Sivankutty met Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in New Delhi recently. Senior officials of the department also held talks with officials of the union education ministry.
The government eventually caved in to CPI pressure and fired the letter. CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam met CPI(M) state secretary MV Govindan on Tuesday, while CPI cabinet ministers met Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday morning and discussed the postponement in writing to the Union government.
Although Mr. Viswam said that there is no delay, the decision taken collectively by the LDF has been implemented. “The LDF has taken the right decision. We are really happy that it has happened. It is a victory for CPI and CPI(M) together,” Mr. Viswam said.
Both the CPI(M) and the CPI were not in favor of introducing an educational policy aimed at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in Kerala, he said.
The state should fight politically and legally against the withholding of its rightful share of funds by the Union government because of its political policies, he said.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Viswam had expressed confidence that the Cabinet’s decision would be followed to the letter. “If not, we’ll see,” he told reporters.
The state has received the first installment of Samagra Shiksha funds of ₹92.41 crore. The impact of the communication on further release of funds is unclear, though Mr. Sivankutty described the talks with the Union minister as cordial.
Published – 12 Nov 2025 20:33 IST
