By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Oct 15: Against the backdrop of Meghalaya Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) teachers threatening another series of protests over unpaid salaries, it has been revealed by the Centre that the first tranche of the funds under Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan for financial year (FY) 2022-23, amounting to Rs 272.34 crore, was released to Meghalaya in August.
It is pertinent to note that the SSA teachers, few days ago, had claimed that central funds to the tune of Rs 272 crore had already been released to the state government for the payment of their salaries.
Replying to a query of TMC MLA George B Lyngdoh, Union Minister of State (MoS) for Education Annpurna Devi informed that Rs 272.34 crore was released in August as first instalment against the approved central share of Rs 372.36 crore for FY 2022-23.
It may be mentioned that Lyngdoh had in July written to the Ministry of Education, questioning the delay in the release of funds for SSA teachers in Meghalaya.
In response, the Education Ministry has informed that with regard to the release of funds under SSA for FY 2021-22, Rs 52.78 crore was released as second instalment on March 31, 2022.
“In the Project Approval Board (PAB) meeting for 2021-22, Rs 305.84 crore, including spillover, was approved as central share and Rs 33.98 crore was approved as a state share. However, the budget of state government shown by the state on PFMS (platform for e-payment of subsidy under direct benefit transfer), however, showed Rs 31.97 crore at the time of processing of release of the second instalment,” the letter from the Union MoS read.
“Accordingly, against the eligible central share of Rs 287.76 crore, an amount of Rs 271.71 crore could be released to the state in 2021-22 as there was less expenditure and less provisioning of the state’s share as reported by the state,” it added.
Meanwhile, a statement from TMC said that the startling revelation implies that significantly less amount of money was budgeted and provisioned by the state government.
It may be mentioned that the aggrieved SSA schoolteachers from Garo Hills had recently sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention for the release of pending salaries.
The SSA teachers had also threatened of staging democratic protests if their pending salaries are not released soon.
