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Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday, December 3, addressed the issue of the implementation of the PM SHRI scheme in Kerala. Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, the Minister, while crediting CPI(M) MP John Brittas for acting as an intermediary between the Kerala government and the Union government, said they had no clarity on how the agreement fell through.
“I am thankful to John Brittas. He created the bridge between the government of Kerala and Government of India. At one point of time they agreed to sign the PM Shree MoU. Later on what compelled them I don't know. It's the state government that created confusion after signing an MoU,” Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said.
He recalled that Kerala’s General Education Minister V Sivankutty and Brittas had met him personally to convey the state’s willingness to join the scheme.
Brittas, however, disputed the Minister’s claims and distanced himself from any role in the MoU. “I have met Dharmendra Pradhan with Education Minister V. Sivankutty many times, seeking the funds that were blocked for Kerala. We also spoke about many other matters. The PM SHRI MoU signing is totally up to the state government — I have not been involved in that, and I don’t even know about it,” he said.
The cash-strapped Kerala government had recently approached the Union government, expressing readiness to implement the PM SHRI scheme. However, they later withdrew after the CPI, an ally within the LDF coalition, strongly objected to the decision.
The Kerala Cabinet has now decided to set up a subcommittee to reassess the proposal.