NEW DELHI: The Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry's efforts to continue with the current pattern of funding for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) for universalisation of elementary education has been endorsed by both the Parliamentary Standing Committee for the Ministry and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) which scrutinised the implementation of the programme.

Both committees have said that burdening the States with a greater share of the expenditure on SSA could not only impair the programme, but also derail it at a critical juncture.

As per the Memoranda of Understanding signed by the Centre with State governments and Union Territory administrations at the start of SSA, the Central Government's share of funding in the programme will be scaled down to 50 per cent from 75 per cent from the Eleventh Five-Year Plan.

In its report — tabled in Parliament recently — the PAC has expressed concern over the move to "modify the funding pattern of SSA from the existing 75:25 [Centre-State sharing] ratio to 50:50 from the current year onwards'' as this could impair the programme that is "already operating behind schedule with serious shortcomings to boot.''

As it is, according to the Committee, several States are lagging behind in achieving the stipulated targets with the existing funding pattern. The PAC fears that such States — which are also the more populous and financially weak — may actually become reluctant to implement the programme; "thereby jeopardising the goal of ensuring universal elementary education by 2010.''

Add to this the possibility that "the increased liability upon the States may result in they being unable to contribute their matching share which will in turn prevent the Centre from releasing their further instalments.'' The PAC has taken note of the Ministry's view that it is not unaffordable for the Centre to continue with the existing funding pattern as funds are available from the Prarambhik Shiksha Kosh apart from the budgetary support and external funding that is forthcoming for the programme.

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