New Delhi, Nov 14 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Union government to file its written statement within eight weeks in a suit filed by the Tamil Nadu government accusing the Centre of withholding Samagra Shiksha Scheme funds and linking their release to the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the PM SHRI Schools scheme.

The matter came up before Chamber Judge Justice Atul S. Chandurkar, who also ordered that Tamil Nadu’s interlocutory application seeking interim relief be listed after three weeks before the Top Court.

Senior advocate P. Wilson, assisted by advocate Sabarish Subramanian, appearing for Tamil Nadu, submitted before the Apex Court that the Union government had failed to release Samagra Shiksha funds from the 2021–22 academic year onwards, resulting in arrears of Rs 2,291.30 crore.

Wilson added that withholding of funds had adversely affected 43.94 lakh students, 2.21 lakh teachers, and 32,701 staff members across Tamil Nadu.

He urged the Supreme Court to consider the state government’s plea for the interim release of Rs 2,151.59 crore pending disposal of the suit.

Filed under Article 131 of the Constitution, the original suit seeks a declaration that the NEP 2020 and the PM SHRI Schools Scheme are not binding on Tamil Nadu unless implemented through an agreement between the Union and the state governments.

It also challenged the Centre’s decision to link Samagra Shiksha funding with the implementation of these policies, calling it “unconstitutional, illegal, arbitrary and unreasonable”.

Tamil Nadu has also asked the Apex Court to direct the Centre to release the outstanding funds with 6 per cent annual interest from May 1, and to continue providing its statutory 60 per cent share of grants under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, before each academic year.

The suit further claimed that despite the Project Approval Board fully approving Tamil Nadu’s proposals, the Centre withheld funds “solely on the ground that Hindi is not compulsorily taught in state schools”, causing a “complete standstill” in the implementation of the Samagra Shiksha Scheme and the RTE Act.

–IANS

pds/svn