General Education Minister V Sivankutty met Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in New Delhi on Monday in connection with the sanction of outstanding central funds for Samagra Shiksha Kerala (SSK).
The crucial meeting comes after the state government decided to suspend the centrally-sponsored PM SHRI (Prime Minister’s Schools for the Rise of India) program after signing up for it amid opposition from coalition partners, particularly the Communist Party of India, in the Left Democratic Front.
Addressing a press conference in the state capital, Mr. Sivankutty said the talks were initially focused on releasing Union government funds for SSK. The Union Minister was asked to approve the central share of ₹ 1,066.36 crore for SSK for the financial year 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26 at once.
The discussions were fruitful and the Union Minister took a favorable stand on the matter, the minister’s office said in a statement.
The state has also sought release of ₹6.2 crore for PM JANMAN (Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan) hostels and ₹3.57 crore for DA-JGUA (Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan) hostels.
Mr. Sivankutty invited Mr. Pradhan to be the chief guest at the Kerala Education Conclave in Thiruvananthapuram in January. The program would help strengthen cooperation in the education sector at the national level.
The minister also apprised Mr. Pradhan about the state government’s stance on seeking outstanding central funds for the education sector in Kerala and safeguarding the state’s educational interests.
The state has been asked to submit a new proposal to receive the next installment of funds, it was learned.
Published – 10 Nov 2025 21:02 IST
