Thiruvananthapuram, June 17 (IANS) The PM SHRI scheme issue took centre stage after the weekly Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, with Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan saying the Kerala government has decided to examine how to proceed without compromising the state’s stand on education policy.

CM Satheesan said Kerala had become a participant in the PM SHRI scheme after the previous Left government signed the agreement, and the state had already received Central assistance.

Around Rs 99 crore has been utilised and another Rs 106 crore has been sanctioned by the Centre, he said.

“Our ideological position is that the Centre should not decide the curriculum or select the schools. That should remain the prerogative of the state,” CM Satheesan said.

The government has constituted a four-member ministerial sub-committee to study the issue and decide the state’s future position.

He said discussions were also held with Chief Ministers of non-BJP-ruled states to explore the possibility of a joint approach.

Satheesan alleged that although the previous Left government had publicly maintained that it would not sign the agreement, the then Chief Minister and Education Minister eventually signed it without keeping the Cabinet informed.

“Kerala is now part of PM SHRI because we have already taken the funds. The question before us is how to move forward without making compromises,” he said.

On administrative reforms, Satheesan said the government had noticed a backlog of files in the Finance Department causing delays in decision-making.

An integrated financial adviser of Joint Secretary rank would be appointed in every department to decide which files require Finance Department clearance.

He added that the outdated procurement manual would be reviewed by a Cabinet sub-committee.

The first 100-day programme of the new government would begin from July 1, he said.

Responding to criticism over three Vice-Chancellors attending an RSS-related meeting, Satheesan accused the Left Opposition of spreading ‘false narratives’, saying the previous Chief Minister had remained silent when four Vice-Chancellors attended a similar programme.

He also rejected allegations regarding increased cooperative department fees, removal of buses before the free travel scheme, and disruption of ration distribution, calling them baseless.

–IANS

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