The Hindu : National : Reduce SSA funding share for northeast

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Sunday, Mar 04, 2007
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Reduce SSA funding share for northeast

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The plea by various States against an increase in their share of funding for the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) from XI Plan has found support from the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resource Development (HRD) at least in the case of the northeast.

The committee — in its report on implementation of the SSA, the Mid-Day Meal Scheme and the Integrated Child Development Services Scheme in Jammu and Kashmir and the northeast — has favoured a further reduction in the State's share from the ratio of 75:25 to 90:10. Under the SSA, the Centre has been providing 75 per cent of the funds right through the 10th Plan period. As per the Memorandum of Understanding it entered with each State, this funding pattern is to change to 50:50. However, most States have expressed inability to pick up half the tab from the coming fiscal.

In view of the small internal revenue base of the northeast and Jammu and Kashmir, the committee has said their plea for revising the funding pattern to 90:10 should be given serious consideration. It has also supported the demand by some northeastern States for making the SSA a 100 per cent centrally funded scheme. For, with the annual increase in the allocation for this programme, the States' share rises in direct proportion, causing an additional burden on their exchequer.

Effectively, the funding for the seven sister States now is in the 90:10 ratio. While the allocation from the HRD Ministry stands at 75 per cent of the total cost, an additional 15 per cent goes to each of the seven States from the non-lapsable funds of the Union Ministry of Development of North-Eastern Region (DONER) as a special case. But the northeastern States are making out a case for the 90 per cent funding coming from the HRD itself.

A similar 90:10 funding ratio has been suggested for the northeast by the committee for the ICDS Special Nutrition Programme also. At present, the Centre and States meet the cost equally.

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