Kerala government urged to decide on PM SHRI scheme implementation

The Indian central government has requested the Kerala government to expedite its decision regarding the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme. General Education Minister N Samsudheen confirmed that the Union Education Secretary sent a letter to the state Chief Secretary requesting a timely decision to allow other related schemes to proceed.

The current United Democratic Front (UDF) government maintains reservations about the program, a stance held by the party even prior to the elections. While the previous LDF government had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the central government to implement the scheme, the agreement was placed in abeyance following internal criticism and opposition protests.

The UDF administration has appointed a Cabinet subcommittee to examine the details of the scheme and recommend whether the state should proceed or withdraw. The PM SHRI scheme aims to upgrade 14,500 schools to serve as model institutes aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, potentially benefiting 1.8 million students.