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New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 10 (IANS) Kerala has verbally conveyed its stand on the PM SHRI (Prime Minister’s School for Rising India) scheme to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, state Education Minister V. Sivankutty on Monday said, clarifying that the state has not yet issued any written communication.
Addressing the media after meeting Union Education Minister Pradhan in New Delhi, Sivankutty said the state government has informed the Center that the PM SHRI scheme has been “put on hold” in Kerala.
“We have taken all necessary steps to ensure that the state does not lose any central funds,” he said.
Minister Sivankutty said that a formal letter will be sent only after the sub-committee formed to examine the scheme submits its report.
He said that Union Minister Pradhan did not give any clear response in favor or against during the discussion.
Responding to questions on CPI leader Binoy Viswam’s criticism of the state government’s stance, Sivankutty said, “I neither intend nor need to question his comments.”
Meanwhile, the minister said that he has written a letter to the Union Education Minister demanding immediate action regarding the recent Gaana Geetam controversy during the flag hoisting ceremony of Vande Bharat Express.
He termed the incident – where students were allegedly forced to sing an RSS song and the video was shared on the official social media account of Southern Railway – as a “serious violation of constitutional secular values”.
Sivankutty said the state government has directed the Director of General Education to conduct an inquiry and further steps will be taken after receiving the report.
Sivankutty also underlined that CBSE schools in Kerala require state recognition to function, and the state government has the right to cancel the No Objection Certificate (NOC) at any time.
He called for a common, inclusive song for such occasions, saying, “Only songs acceptable to all children should be sung at official ceremonies.”
Highlighting Kerala’s independent approach to school education, Sivankutty said the state was the only state to prepare and conduct examinations based on the parts of NCERT that were left out.
He said the state needs central assistance to sustain such initiatives and Union Minister Pradhan has assured to consider the funding requests – including Rs 1,066.66 crore for the Samagra Shiksha Kerala program and Rs 9 crore for hostel development.
–IANS
SG/KHz