The Union Government released only ₹141.65 crore to Kerala against the sanctioned amount of ₹343.34 crore under the Samagra Shiksha scheme in 2023–2024, zero funds against the sanctioned amount of ₹428.89 crore in 2024–292 and ₹41 out of the sanctioned amount. ₹ 452.04 crore in 2025–26.
This was stated by Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary in the Rajya Sabha in response to an unstarred question by DMK MP Rajathi on Wednesday.
The minister’s reply said that approval of work plan and central assistance under Samagra Shiksha depended on factors such as annual work plan and budget submitted by states or union territories, available opening balance with states/UTs at the beginning of the financial year, infrastructural gaps, student enrolment, utilization of funds in previous years and spillover works approved in previous years.
However, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, in response to a question from MP John Brittas during question hour, said that the Union government was ready to release all the funds sanctioned for the state in 2025-26 subject to the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP).
Mr. Brittas sought the release of remaining Samagra Shiksha funds sanctioned for Kerala in 2025-26.
PM SHRI
The MP alleged that Samagra Shiksha funds were denied to Kerala because it did not join the PM SHRI scheme. He asked Mr. Pradhan whether the Union Government was ready to delink Samagra Shiksha scheme from Prime Minister SHRI to release funds to Kerala. He also questioned why the Samagra Shiksha was linked to the SHRI Prime Minister which was launched only subsequently in 2022.
Mr. Pradhan claimed that almost the entire country agreed that NEP, Samagra Shiksha and PM SHRI must be implemented.
Kerala, he said, agreed to sign the MoU with the Prime Minister SHRI but later did not implement the scheme due to internal conflict in the ruling alliance in the state. The Kerala government should resolve the issue and take the money the state was entitled to, the Union minister said.
Mr. Pradhan also said that Mr. Brittas was an intermediary between the State and Union governments. Mr. Brittas has created a bridge between the Kerala Government and the Union Government, Mr. Pradhan said.
However, Mr. Brittas told the media that he did not mediate the implementation of PM SHRI. He said he accompanied Kerala General Education Minister V. Sivankutty to meet Mr. Pradhan. He also submitted many petitions to the minister demanding the release of funds for Kerala. But that was part of his duty and responsibility as an MP. “It is the state government’s business to sign up to PM SHRI or not. There is no need to interfere.”
He also said that Mr. Pradhan’s remarks were misinterpreted. The Union minister only meant that Mr. Brittas and he had met and discussed the issue many times, the MP said.
Published – 03 Dec 2025 23:07 IST
