PM must interfere in federalism's interest, release SSA funds to TN: CM

Reiterating that linking the two different Centrally sponsored SSA and PM SHRI Schools initiatives was fundamentally unacceptable, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Thursday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure the immediate release of Rs 2,152 crore of Samagra Shiksha funds for the state.

The Prime Minister should intervene in the interest of cooperative federalism and welfare of lakhs of students and teachers, he said.

"To dissipate the unrest caused due to this issue, Rs 2,152 crores of Samagra Shiksha funds for Tamil Nadu for 2024-25 may be released immediately, without linking it to the implementation of National Education Programme (NEP) 2020. Considering the sensitivity of the issue, I look forward to your personal intervention in this regard, Stalin said in a letter addressed to Modi.

He expressed deep concern' over the recent remarks of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan indicating that SSA funds for Tamil Nadu would not be released until the state implemented NEP in its entirety and adopted the three-language policy. This has created immense anxiety and unrest among students, political parties and the general public in our state, the Chief Minister said.

For many decades, Tamil Nadu has always been steadfast in its two-language policy, which was deeply rooted in its educational and social milieu. Hence, the state has been exempted from implementing 'The Official Languages Act, 1963', as mentioned in The Official Languages Rules, 1976, he claimed.

Even Central schools like Navodaya Vidyalayas, which follow the three-language policy, have not been established in Tamil Nadu because of the opposition to it. The tremendous strides made by the state in the last half century and its trendsetting initiatives can be traced back to our progressive policy making, built on this two-language policy and social justice.

"The above would clearly exemplify that any change in our two-language policy is non-negotiable for our state and our people," he said in the letter.

In addition, the state had raised its strong concerns on other specific provisions of NEP through letter and a memorandum in 2024, but despite the multiple representations, the SSA funds for 2024-25 remain unreleased.

I would like to reiterate that linking the two different Centrally Sponsored Schemes SSA and the NEP exemplar PM SHRI Schools is fundamentally unacceptable. And the Union Government's usage of such fund releases as a pressure tactic to coerce a state into adopting centrally mandated programs against its own time-tested state policies is a blatant violation of cooperative federalism, Stalin said.

He further argued that such a move would grossly undermine the states' rights to shape their own education policies, based on a State's specific needs.

Due to non-release of funds under the ongoing scheme, several vital components towards teacher salaries, student welfare programs, inclusive education initiatives, RTE reimbursements for underprivileged students and transport for students in remote areas have been jeopardised, the Chief Minister contended.