Kerala government owes ₹1,186.84 crore for education

Kerala's Minister for General Education, V. Sivankutty, announced that the Union government owes the state ₹1,186.84 crore for school education. This amount includes overdue funds for the current and upcoming academic years. The Minister highlighted that ₹280.58 crore is due for the 2023-24 academic year. Additionally, ₹513.54 crore is pending for 2024-25, and ₹654.54 crore has been approved for 2025-26. However, the Union government has withheld these funds because Kerala has not signed the PM SHRI agreement. Sivankutty noted that while the central government praised Kerala's initiatives, it is still blocking funds for the Samagra Shiksha Kerala program. He criticized the Union government for not addressing the state's concerns regarding this agreement, which he claims does not fit with existing educational strategies. The Minister emphasized that the withholding of funds particularly impacts differently-abled children who require support like therapy and assistive devices. He called on the Union government to respect Kerala's inclusive education model and ensure quality education for all.