Accept ‘PM SHRI’, says Sukanta, prompts Bratya poser on scheme’s prefix

Kolkata: Junior Union minister for education Sukanta Majumdar on Tuesday said state-run schools must accept the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) tag to receive central funds, prompting state education minister Bratya Basu to ask why should schemes, co-funded by the states, be named after the PM.Speaking at an IIT event in New Town, Majumdar said the PM SHRI framework was non-negotiable for funding. "PM SHRI must be accepted. Only then will the funds be provided. It's all part of a package. You can't take the head and leave the hands — that's not acceptable," he said.
Centre owes Bengal over Rs 1,000 crore of funds under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan. State govt has been objecting the adoption of the scheme in its current form, with the "PM" prefix emerging as a key point of contention.Reacting to Majumdar's comments, Basu said the state's objection was "principled". He stated, "Centre provides a portion of the grant, and the rest is provided by state govt. Revenue is collected from all over India. So, why should the projects be named only after the PM, and not include the state's name? This is our question, to which Centre has not yet provided a satisfactory answer. Our main objection is that constitutionally recognised federalism is being undermined at every step. I am eager to know what he has to say about this."Pointing out that even Kerala, which had initial reservations, eventually accepted the scheme in writing, Majumdar said: "We don't see any reason for objection to the name PM SHRI. The term PM does not refer to an individual."