Spotlight

New Delhi, 1 June 2007

NEW SSA FUNDING PATTERN HITS STATES

NEW DELHI, June 2 (INFA): The new funding pattern which the Planning Commission has worked out for funding education under the Centre’s Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA) is unlikely to serve the purpose for which the project was intended.

The new pattern of sharing the SSA expenditure on 50-50 basis, against the initial provision of 75-25 (75 per cent by the Centre and 25 per cent by the State) is unacceptable by most of the States in view of the acute funds crunch they are presently facing.

Some of the States have written to the Union Human Resources Minister, Arjun Singh, about their inability to adequately implement the SSA. Arjun Singh, on his part, has taken up the issue with the Planning Commission, reportedly the recommending continuation of the original 50-50 pattern.

The Rajasthan Government, for example, had approached the HRD Ministry for an annual SSA work plan of Rs.2,000 crore which was approved. But then the State said it could at best contribute Rs.800 crore to the kitty. In turn, the HRD Ministry said that the Centre could make a matching contribution of Rs.800 crore. In no time, the State plan was reduced to Rs.1,600 crore.

Though for Rajasthan Rs.1,600 crore is still more than last year’s Rs.1,253 crore, other States would not be so lucky for they do not have the financial wherewithal to withstand the new funding pattern. The States like Bihar, UP, West Bengal and MP are yet to come to the HRD Ministry to get their SSA work plans approved.

The worst sufferers of the new funding pattern are the north-eastern States. Having so far enjoyed a special status with the Centre footing 90% of the SSA bill, these States are now being told that they too will have to share 50% of the SSA cost.

This has resulted in a mini movement of sorts among seven sisters with the Mizoram Education Minister already sending letters to the HRD Ministry protesting against the move. But the Centre appears to be unmoved. It has been nearly three months since the HRD Ministry’s note for retaining the 75-25 funding pattern was sent for the Union Cabinet’s consideration. The note was the result of a communication between the Ministry and the Planning Commission, whereby the latter had said that in case the HRD has an objection to the 50:50 pattern, it can move a Cabinet note.

Officials at the helm of the SSA point out that the repercussions of the new funding pattern would be felt mostly by States like Bihar, west Bengal, UP, MP and Assam.

These States after being at the bottom on the heap for years, had taken tentative steps in the right direction in the past two years. They just do not have the financial resources to make large allocations for SSA.  ---INFA