Centre asks Tripura to release Rs 30 Crore for SSA

Agartala, Aug 24:The Centre has asked the Tripura government to immediately release Rs 30 crore fund for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) this fiscal as per the 50:50 pattern.

Official sources here today said the decision was announced in the two-day high level meeting of the North Eastern Council (NEC) and NE education ministers in New Delhi.

After reviewing the project's performance in Northeast, launched for setting up elementary education centres, they had announced to release funds under the SSA on 50:50 ratio, with effect from August 20, instead of existing 90:10 pattern.

''Human Resource Development ministry has clarified that if the state government fails to release it's share then it will not release the next installment of Rs 23 crore,'' officials said.

However, State School Education Minister Keshab Majumder protested the decision and demanded to continue the earlier funding pattern keeping in mind the socio-economic condition of the NE states.

Referring to state government's initiative, Mr Majumder informed that the Centre had sanctioned Rs 73 crore for construction of each of 150 higher secondary schools while Rs 6 lakh had been earmarked for each of 211 primary and 100 high schools.

UNI