Tamil Nadu government files Supreme Court petition against the Centre for withholding ₹2,299 crore under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme. The state has also rejected the NEP and PM SHRI scheme.
Tamil Nadu: The Tamil Nadu government has approached the Supreme Court, accusing the central government of withholding funds allocated under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme (SSS). The state claims that the Centre has withheld approximately ₹2,299 crore, impacting its educational initiatives.
Petition filed under Article 131
Tamil Nadu filed this petition under Article 131 of the Constitution, which grants the Supreme Court exclusive jurisdiction to resolve disputes directly between the central and state governments. This article allows for a direct lawsuit against the central government in the Supreme Court.
State demands principal amount and interest
The petition demands ₹2,299,30,24,769 from the Centre, along with 6% annual interest. The state government argues that this amount was due under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme but has not been released by the central government.
Objection to NEP and PM SHRI Scheme
The Tamil Nadu government clarified in the petition that it does not intend to implement the National Education Policy (NEP) and the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) Scheme. They assert that the Centre cannot forcibly impose these schemes unless the state willingly accepts them.
DMK statement – Keep education separate from politics
Responding to the issue, Saravanan Annadurai, a spokesperson for the ruling DMK party, stated that funds related to education should not be linked to any political agenda. He accused the central government of attempting to manipulate the education sector to align with its own objectives.
Accusation of non-fulfillment of constitutional responsibility by the Centre
The Tamil Nadu government also argued in court that the Centre is obligated to release 60% of the planned expenditure before the start of the academic year, which has not been done. This has negatively impacted essential work in several government schools.
