According to data presented by the Union Ministry of Education to the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, funds totaling Rs 1,541 crore under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) were not disbursed to Haryana in the four sessions from 2019-20 to 2022-23.
The data suggested that a total of Rs 3,422.31 crore was sanctioned as the Central share to Haryana for the scheme in 14,502 schools of the state, out of which the Centre released Rs 1,881.27 crore. Haryana is learnt to have spent a total of Rs 4,501.05 crore, including the central grant, with Rs 2,619 crore from its own resources.
The details were given by Union minister for education Dharmender Pradhan in response to a query by Hisar MP Brijendra Singh. Brijendra Singh had sought information about the amount released by the Centre and expenditure by the govt in Haryana. Singh had also sought details as to whether the Centre has proposed any more schemes for the holistic development of students in Haryana as well as the country. While sharing the data related to Haryana, the Union minister also elaborated upon various schemes like Bal Shree and RMSA.
The ruling BJP-JJP alliance in the state has been in the firing line of opposition parties, especially Congress and AAP, over the issue of poor infrastructure in the schools and vacancies of teachers in govt schools.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court had to intervene and issue stringent directives, particularly regarding infrastructure issues such as the lack of washrooms for female students in schools. Despite claims by the state government and Education Minister Kanwar Pal Gujjar that everything is in order in schools, concerns persist.