Centre's "undemocratic, authoritarian" approach resulted in Kerala govt signing PM SHRI, says CPI(M) general secretary

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], October 30 (ANI): Kerala CPI(M) general secretary MA Baby has alleged that the BJP-led Central government's highly "authoritarian and undemocratic" approach to disbursing central funds led the Kerala Government to sign the MoU to implement the Centrally sponsored education scheme, PM SHRI (PM Schools for Rising India).
Following the opposition of the Communist Party of India (CPI), the Kerala government has now put on hold the rollout of the PM SHRI Scheme.
"As far as the controversy related to an educational program (PM SHRI), it stems from the Central Government insisting that, unless you sign various centrally sponsored schemes, other independent schemes will not receive financial assistance from the Centre," MA Baby told ANI on Wednesday.
"As a result of this highly undemocratic and authoritarian approach, this MoU was signed. The CPI has reservations about it... The CPM and the CPI together advised the Cabinet Ministers and the CM on how to avoid the confusion regarding the PM SHRI. The Cabinet will take the appropriate decision," he added.
On Wednesday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced that a seven-member cabinet sub-committee, chaired by Education Minister V. Sivankutty, will be constituted to review the implementation of the PM SHRI scheme in the state. All further proceedings under the scheme will be put on hold until the committee submits its report.
"When the MoU for PM SHRI was signed, it triggered several concerns. We have now decided to re-examine the implementation of the project. A cabinet sub-committee with seven ministers has been constituted for this review. Until the committee submits its report and a final decision is taken, all further steps under PM SHRI will be put on hold. This decision will be formally communicated to the central government through a letter. The sub-committee will be chaired by Education Minister V. Sivankutty and will include Ministers K. Rajan, Roshy Augustine, P. Rajeev, P. Prasad, K. Krishnankutty, and A.K. Saseendran.", CM Vijayan said.
Launched in 2022, the PM SHRI aims at creating 14,500 exemplar institutions across the country that showcase various aspects of the NEP.
Kerala Minister for General Education V. Sivankutty had explained the decision to implement the PM SHRI in the State as a tactical move to get the withheld Central funds under the Samagra Shiksha education scheme. The funds totalling ₹1,476.13 crore under the scheme, which are due to the State, have been withheld by the Centre.
The Opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) also slammed the government for the decision, alleging a CPI(M)-BJP "backdoor deal" in this.
Criticising the move, Varun Choudhary, National President of the Congress-affiliated NSUI, on Wednesday said that the Left Democratic Front government in Kerala had officially accepted the "RSS-imposed" New Education Policy (NEP). (ANI)