Centre diverting TN funds to other states over NEP, claims CM Stalin

CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin has criticised the BJP-led Union government’s ‘unjust’ attitude, depriving the State of its rightful funds of Rs 2,152 crore under the Integrated School Education Scheme.

CM Stalin alleged that the BJP-led Centre diverted funds meant for TN to other states like Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, as the State refused to implement the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020. TN government’s refusal to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Union Ministry of Education to implement the PM SHRI schools in the State is also used as an alibi, he said.

Taking to his X account, CM said, “The Union BJP government’s unjust attitude towards TN knows no bounds.” The Centre resorted to open blackmail–snatching away Rs 2,152 crore meant for TN’s students and handing it over to other states– for rejecting the imposition of NEP 2020 and the three-language policy, CM Stalin added. “This is nothing short of coercion, punishing our students for standing up for their rights.”

The CM launched a scathing attack, saying that the Union government is exhibiting ruthlessness unseen in India’s history to strangle TN students’ access to education as political revenge. “The BJP has once again proven itself to be the face of injustice and hatred towards TN and its people,” he added.

Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, too, joined the issue and called the Centre ‘anti-Tamil’ and ‘fascist’ for ‘refusing’ the funds to TN and ‘diverting’ it to BJP-led states. Both the CM and the minister used #BJPcheatsTN to highlight the issues.

The minister further stressed that the TN government will fight to bring education to the state list.

The present conflict with the Union government is over depriving the School Education Department of funds under the Samagra Shiksha (SS) scheme. For TN, a fund of Rs 3,586 crore was approved for the 2024-25 academic year. Out of which, Rs 1,434 crore is TN’s share, while Rs 2,152 crore is the Union government’s share.

Due to the withholding of the funds, the TN government is burdened with additional expenditures like salary payments and the implementation of various schemes under SS.