PM SHRI: Keralam sets terms, seeks fresh Centre talks

New Delhi: The Keralam government is set to hold fresh discussions with the Centre over the implementation of the PM SHRI education scheme, with Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan expected to raise the state’s concerns and seek clarity on key issues during his Delhi visit.

Keralam plans to communicate its reservations over the scheme while seeking the Centre’s position on matters the state considers crucial. The government has maintained that it will proceed only if the Centre agrees not to interfere in the state’s curriculum and grants Keralam full authority to select the schools covered under the scheme.

Satheesan, who arrived in New Delhi, met the Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi. However, available information indicates that the PM SHRI issue did not figure in their discussions.

The state government has previously warned that withdrawing from the scheme would result in the loss of central financial assistance to the Education Department. This has added pressure on the government as it weighs its objections against the financial implications of opting out.

AICC general secretary Deepa Dasmunsi had earlier called on the Keralam government not to implement PM SHRI and to withdraw from the scheme. Satheesan rejected that demand and made the government’s position clear, indicating that Keralam would continue to engage with the Centre rather than immediately abandon the programme.

The issue has also triggered opposition within the ruling front’s political landscape. Youth League state president Munavvarali Shihab Thangal has warned Satheesan against implementing PM SHRI under any circumstances during the UDF government’s tenure.

The fresh Centre-state discussions are therefore expected to focus on Keralam’s demand for greater control over curriculum-related decisions and school selection while addressing concerns over the loss of central funding if the state refuses to participate.