Centre withholding funds as pressure tactic against states, alleges Tamil Nadu CM amid NEP row

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention in getting dues of Rs 2,152 crore released to the state under the Samagra Shiksha scheme without linking them to the implementation of the 2020 National Education Policy.

He accused the Centre of withholding funds as a tactic to coerce states to adopt centrally-mandated programmes.

In a letter to Modi, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief also emphasised that the state has a two-language policy, which entails teaching students English and Tamil. Political parties in the state have long opposed attempts to impose Hindi as a third language.

Stalin’s letter came in response to recent remarks made by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan suggesting that funds under Samagra Shiksha for Tamil Nadu would not be released until the state implemented the National Education Policy in its entirety and adopted the three-language policy.

The three-language policy refers to teaching students English, Hindi and the local language of a state.

The Samagra Shiksha scheme, implemented in 2018, is the scheme through which the Union government provides support for elementary and secondary school education.

It resulted from the merger of three schemes: Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan for universal elementary education, Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan for secondary and higher secondary schools and Teacher Training Education such as the District...

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