Key Takeaways
- Tamil Nadu’s Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu has announced that the State Government will continue to implement various student welfare schemes, including foundational literacy and special education for differently-abled children.
- The Centre has refused to release SSA funds for Tamil Nadu, citing non-acceptance of the NEP. Despite this, the State Government is using its own resources to pay the salaries of teachers.
- Tamil Nadu’s bilingual policy has been a point of contention between the Centre and the State, with the Centre rejecting it as part of the NEP.
Chennai: With the Centre refusing to release due share of funds under the SSA scheme for the school education sector citing non-acceptance of NEP, which includes the three-language policy the Tamil Nadu government has been using its own resources to pay the salaries of teachers, while sticking to its existing bilingual policy, Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu said on Friday.
Presenting the Budget for the year 2025-26 in the State Assembly, he said Under the ‘Samagra Shiksha’ scheme, the State Government has been successfully implementing
various student welfare schemes for the past seven years.
Notably, initiatives such as the ‘Ennum Ezhuthum Thittam’ to ensure foundational literacy,
special education for differently-abled children, transport allowances for students from
remote areas, salary for teachers, guidance for higher education to shape students’ future,
art festivals to nurture unique talents, educational tours and infrastructure development,
including internet facilities in schools, are in progress, he said.
He said the Members of this august House were aware tht the Union Government has
withheld the approved amount of Rs.2,152 crore to Tamil Nadu, citing the State’s
non-acceptance of the Union Government’s New Education Policy, which includes the
three-language policy.
Despite this, keeping in mind thewelfare of students, the State Government has allocated
funds, including salaries of teachers, from its own resources to ensure that the education
of Government school students remains unaffected, even in the slightest way, he added.
Even at this critical juncture, the people of Tamil Nadu have wholeheartedly rallied behind
Chief Minister M K Stalin for upholding the dignity of the State by standing firm on the
bilingual policy, even at the cost of foregoing Rs 2,000 crores.
Recalling the powerful words of poet Pavendar Bharathidasan to inspire the people of
Tamil Nadu as they stand firmly behind the Chief Minister, with unwavering determination,
despite all obstacles, he said “Any opposition to a Tamilian to work for the betterment of
Tamil community will eventually crumble and fail even if it is a mighty mountain”.
