Thiruvananthapuram, 23 July (H.S.) :Kerala General Education Minister N. Shamsudheen has urged the Union Government to immediately release the funds due to the State under the Samagra Shiksha (SSK/SSA) scheme, including pending dues of around ₹1,500 crore, saying the delay has adversely affected the implementation of key education programmes.

The minister made the request during the two-day conference of State Education Ministers organised by the Union Ministry of Education in New Delhi. Following the meeting, Shamsudheen said he had held discussions with Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and highlighted the financial constraints faced by Kerala's education sector due to the delay in central assistance.

According to the minister, he submitted a detailed memorandum to the Union Minister outlining Kerala's concerns and seeking the early release of the pending funds. He said the memorandum also covered a range of issues affecting the State's school education sector and called for greater cooperation from the Centre in ensuring the uninterrupted implementation of educational schemes.

After the meeting, Shamsudheen shared photographs of his interaction with Dharmendra Pradhan on social media and posted details of the discussions. However, the post was later deleted without any official explanation.

The meeting took place at a politically sensitive time, with Opposition parties intensifying protests in New Delhi demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination. Despite the ongoing political controversy, Kerala participated in the conference and used the platform to press for the release of long-pending education funds. The State government has maintained that the timely disbursal of central assistance is essential for the effective implementation of school education programmes and for sustaining ongoing initiatives under the Samagra Shiksha scheme.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman