February 8, 2024
NEW DELHI – In yet another bid to pressurise the state government, the Centre has not cleared dues of Sarva Shiksha Mission, education minister Bratya Basu said in the Assembly today.
He said in 2023-24, the due from the Centre for the Mission is Rs 1754.79 crore while till December 2023-24 the state has received Rs 311.29 crore.
Sarva Shiksha Mission is being run by the state education department. The Centre’s share is 60 per cent while the state gives 40 per cent of the money. With the available funds new classrooms are constructed. Also, the fund is used to set up new schools and model schools.
Senior officials of the education department said the fund has been stopped without assigning any reason. The department has written letters to the Centre but there is no response till date.
It may be mentioned that Trinamul Congress is organizing a dharna on Red Road to protest against the delay in clearing funds like Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act ( MGNREGA) scheme. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, along with MPs met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and urged him to clear the dues at the earliest. But nothing has been done so far in this regard.