Kollam: The functioning of Samagra Shiksha Kerala (SSK) has been severely affected due to the non-release of funds, leading to continued delays in the salaries of 6,826 employees.

The issue is linked to an ongoing dispute between the Centre and the state government over the PM SHRI scheme.

Employees across various categories, including special educators for differently-abled children, temporary teachers, cluster coordinators and other lower-level staff under SSK, have not received salaries on time for the past two months. The April salary was disbursed on May 28, while the May salary, due on June 1, has not yet been paid. This includes daily-wage and contract staff, as well as personnel deputed from the Education Department.

Officials said the crisis has arisen due to the Centre’s position that SSK funds will be released only if Kerala agrees to sign the PM SHRI scheme. Around ₹1,040 crore is pending under SSK allocations, with approximately ₹20 crore required every month solely for salary payments. The funding pattern for the scheme is 60 per cent from the Centre and 40 per cent from the state. However, with the Centre withholding funds, the state is currently forced to bear the entire financial burden.

Initially, the Centre had maintained that funds would be released only upon signing the PM SHRI agreement. Kerala later signed the pact, following which ₹92 crore was released under SSK funds. However, after subsequent controversies, the state demanded that the scheme be put on hold, and the Centre reportedly stopped further fund disbursal.

Although ₹204 crore is said to have been sanctioned under the Right to Education Act, the amount has not yet been released, further worsening the financial strain on the programme.