“Despite Tamil Nadu’s persistent appeals to release funds under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme, the Union Government has not released any funds till date in the current year,” Governor R.N. Ravi said.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
In his address to the Tamil Nadu Assembly, tabled in the House on Monday (January 6, 2025), Governor R.N. Ravi insisted that the Union government disburse funds due to the State under the Samagra Shiksha scheme, approve the Madurai and Coimbatore metro rail projects, and conduct a decadal census, along with a caste-based national population census, among others.
Though the Governor left the Assembly hall a few minutes after he commenced his customary speech in the first session of this year, Speaker M. Appavu read out the Tamil version of the Governor’s speech prepared by the State government.
According to Governor’s address, while the State government remained fully committed to ensuring good quality education for students, “it has not received the requisite support from the Union government for its endeavours.”
“Despite Tamil Nadu’s persistent appeals to release funds under the Samagra Shiksha scheme, the Union government has not released any funds till date in the current year, citing the non-implementation of National Education Policy by the State,” he said.
“Funds to the tune of ₹2,152 crore were critical for the functioning of schools including teachers’ salaries, maintenance and upkeep of school buildings, and reimbursement under the Right to Education Act,” the Governor said. Owing to the non-release of this fund by the Union government, the State government has to bear the entire burden from its own resources, thereby severely affecting its finances. “The future of 44 lakh students, 2.2 lakh teachers, and 21,276 staff members hinge on the timely disbursement of these funds and we hope that the Union government will release these funds at the earliest.”
Metro projects
The Governor also urged the Union government to approve the Madurai and Coimbatore Metro Rail projects, as their proposals have been sent by the State government. The Prime Minister, acceding to the repeated requests of the Chief Minister over the last three years, had approved the long-pending demand of providing 50:50 equity share in the Chennai Metro Rail Phase–II, the Governor said, adding: “This will allow the government to complete the project as originally planned.”
“While the unit cost of the Tamil Nadu government’s housing programme titled ‘Kalaignarin Kanavu Illam’ has been increased from ₹60,000 in 2010 to ₹3.50 lakh over the past 14 years, the unit cost of Union government’s similar programme ‘Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Grameen (PMAY-G) scheme remained at ₹1.20 lakh since 2016,” the Governor pointed out. “Tamil Nadu was the only State in the country to provide PMAY-G beneficiaries with the State contribution of ₹1.72 lakh (60% of the total cost),” he said.
“The Tamil Nadu government was taking all the necessary steps to get its ‘rightful share of water in inter-State rivers and shall continuously take all measures to prevent the construction of Mekedatu dam on Cauvery’,” the Governor said.
Fishermen arrests
Underlining that 1,106 of the total 1,219 fishermen arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy have been released due to the Tamil Nadu government’s efforts, the Governor said, “The government continues to urge the Union government to take decisive action through diplomatic channels to ensure the immediate release of the remaining fishermen as well as to find a permanent solution to this issue.”
Recalling the House unanimous resolution urging the Union government to immediately commence the decadal census along with a caste-based national population census, the Governor said: “We hope the Union government will pay heed to this request without further delay.”
The ‘Kalaignar Kaivinai Thittam’ rolled out by the Tamil Nadu government benefitted youths beyond supporting livelihoods and “will eliminate social inequalities and support continuous educational opportunities to the younger generations, ensuring the benefits of this scheme are available to all,” the Governor said.
Recalling the recent visit of the members of the 16th Finance Commission to Tamil Nadu and underlining the State’s demands to the Commission, including one for a more equitable formula for horizontal devolution, the Governor said, “We hope that the current Finance Commission adopts a progressive methodology as outlined by the government.” He said the State government would ensure that Tamil Nadu remains the torch-bearer of social justice, communal harmony, rational thinking, and democratic ideals for the entire nation.
Published – January 06, 2025 01:51 pm IST
