Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala’s General Education Minister V Sivankutty on Tuesday urged the Union government to immediately release pending funds for the state’s Samagra Shiksha Kerala (SSK) programme, which operates under the Right to Education (RTE) Act. A formal letter has been sent to the Centre highlighting the delay.

In a statement, Sivankutty said that after a nearly two-and-a-half-year gap, the state recently received its first central fund instalment of Rs 92.41 crore out of the Rs 456 crore allocated for 2025-26. However, a significant amount remains overdue.

"Kerala is yet to receive Rs 440.87 crore under this category alone, pending since 2023-24. Including the third instalment of 2023–24 and allocations up to 2025–26, the total amount due from the Centre comes to Rs 1,158 crore," he stated. A proposal for the urgent release of funds for RTE and students with disabilities has been submitted.

The Minister emphasised that these funds are critical for providing free uniforms, textbooks, hostel expenses, and travel allowances for children from the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities. The funds also support training for children of migrant labourers, school maintenance, and other essential requirements.

Additionally, 169 Autism Centres function under the SSK programme, each providing free services like speech and physiotherapy to an average of 60 children. The programme currently employs 6,870 staff, including teachers.

Sivankutty added that despite the central funding gap over the last two and a half years, the state government has ensured the uninterrupted operation of the programme and the timely payment of salaries.

With inputs from PTI