Schools struggling due to lack of composite grant for 2024-25 fiscal

Dipali Sen, MP, 6 Oct 2024, Kolkata: State-run schools in Bengal are facing significant challenges as they have not received the composite grant for the 2024-25 financial year. This grant is vital for covering essential expenses such as minor repairs, classroom supplies and other miscellaneous costs. 

The Bengal government attributes the delay to the Union government’s failure to release funds for the Samagra Shiksha Mission (SSM). An official from the state School Education department stated: “The Central government has not disbursed the third and fourth instalments for the 2023-24 financial year, nor the first instalment for 2024-25. 

As a result, the state cannot provide the composite grant to schools, which relies on the SSM funding.” 

Schools receive composite grants based on their student enrolment. The amount varies from 50,000 to over Rs 1 lakh. Teachers and school administrators have expressed concerns about the impact of the delayed grant on school operations. 

Manoj Kumar Mandal, state president of the All Post Graduate Teachers’ Welfare Association, highlighted the difficulties faced by small schools in particular. According to sources in the state Education department, last year the state was allocated between Rs 1,500 to 1,700 crore under the SSM. 

However, they received only Rs 311 crore in the first two instalments and the third instalment of Rs 485 crore was never released. This has led to a potential loss of around Rs 1,200 crore for the 2023-24 fiscal. 

For the current fiscal, the Central government allocated Rs 1,600 crore, but the first instalment has yet to reach the state. 

A few months ago, state Education minister Bratya Basu accused the Central government of withholding the third instalment for the SSM. He alleged that this was due to the state not signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of India regarding the PM SHRI scheme. 

The state had also written to the Central government demanding the pending funds for SSM. Around 64,000 schools are eligible for the composite grant, requiring Rs 500 crore to ensure all schools receive their allocations. 

Acknowledging the challenges faced by schools, the Education department is actively seeking solutions. “We have applied to the appropriate authorities of the state government for funds so that we can at least distribute some amount of the grant to the schools,” stated a School Education department official. 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/want-police-to-register-case-under-pocso-ensure-capital-punishment-in-3-months-cm-582361?infinitescroll=1