CHENNAI: School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi has urged the Union government to treat the funds allocation under the integrated school education scheme and PM SHRI scheme separately and release the fund of Rs 2,152 crore.

The Integrated School Education Scheme was implemented in 2018. Under this, every year, with the partnership of Union and State governments, several schemes are implemented in the respective state. For the year 2023-24 for Tamil Nadu, Rs 3,533 crore was approved by the board. Out of which Rs 1,434 crore (40 per cent) is TN’s share, while Rs 2,152 crore (60 per cent) is the Union government’s share.

However, the Union government is yet to release the 60 per cent share to TN. “The Union government is urging the TN government to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Education to implement the PM SHRI schools in the State. And, only upon which the fund of Rs 2,152 crore will be released,” the press note from the minister stated.

The minister said that such coercion is against the State Education Policy (SEP).