Fin constraints holding up schemes: Pondy Min

Puducherry, Jul 10: Puducherry education minister M O H F Shajahan today charged that several schemes in his department could not be implemented because of financial constraints.

Addressing a press conference here, he said all private engineering colleges in the union territory had agreed to provide 50 per cent seats to the government to be filled up by its centralised admission committee.

However, the Kamaraj Education assistance scheme could not be implemented due to lack of funds. Presently Rs 38 to 40 crore was required, but the fund available was only Rs 15 crore, he said.

To provide the assistance to the second, third and fourth year students alone Rs 28 crore was needed,he said adding that every year the requirement was increasing. He was not against the scheme, but to properly implement it funds were required, for which only the minsiters had fought in a seven hour long cabinet meeting recently.

Mr Shajahan said the allocation for PWD had also come down substantially. He attributed this to lack of proper planning.

The funds could not be provided to aided private schools,teachers could not be appointed and a balance of Rs7 crore was pending to be given to private parties for implementing the breakfast scheme in schools because of the financial crisis. This would be apprised to the Lt.Governor by all ministers. Mr.Shajahan also regretted that the allocation for higher education in Puducherry was only 15 percent as against the 20 percent elsewhere in the nation.

He also said that Rs 37.19 crore only was allocated for education this year against the demanded Rs 113 crores.Last year it was Rs 42.95 crores, he said that the issue would be taken up with the Congress High Command.

UNI