Tamil Nadu moves SC against Centre allegedly withholding Rs 2,200 crore education funds

The Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday approached the Supreme Court accusing the Union government of withholding funds under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme for the financial year 2024-’25, Bar and Bench reported.

Tamil Nadu alleged that the Union government’s decision was a response to its refusal to implement the 2020 National Education Policy and the PM SHRI Schools scheme, and its opposition to the three-language formula that includes Hindi.

“Such coercive tactics are neither legally permissible nor consistent with state legislation,” Bar and Bench quoted Tamil Nadu as having said in its suit.

The state described the Union government’s alleged decision to withhold the funds as a “blatant violation of cooperative federalism”.

In the suit filed under Article 131 of the Constitution, the state urged the Supreme Court to direct the Union government to release more than Rs 2,291 crore, which it claims is pending under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme, along with interest for the delay, Live Law reported.

Article 131 of the Constitution grants the Supreme Court jurisdiction over legal matters originating between states or between the states and the Union government.

Tamil Nadu also asked the Supreme Court to declare that the Union government’s decision to link Samagra Shiksha Scheme funds to the implementation of the 2020 National Education Policy and PM SHRI Schools in the state was “unconstitutional, illegal, unreasonable...

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