Asom may lose Rs 500-cr SSA funds GUWAHATI: The Ministry of DoNER has sanctioned Rs 200 crore for construction of school buildings in Asom, and the amount will be released by the end of this fiscal. Sources from the Sarva Sikhsa Abhijan said that the Ministry had earmarked Rs 700 crore under this project, but due to failure on the part of the State Government to submit the project details, only Rs 200 crore was granted. On the other hand, Asom is set to lose Rs 500 crore from the annual quota this year due to the apathy of the State Government. Officials in the Ministry of Human Resource Development met in New Delhi recently to finalize the Annual Plan outlay for Sarba Siksha Abhijan (SSA).
As the meeting was convened during the National Games period, Mission Director Prateek Hajela, who also the convenor of the Media and Publicity Committee of the Games, could not attend the meeting. In his absence, then Education Commissioner S Mewara and senior official Tilottama Barua attended the meeting in New Delhi from Asom. It had materialized during the meeting that the Asom Government has not bore even 10 per cent of the entire SSA loan in 2005-06 at a time when it is necessary that the State Government must bear 25 per cent of the fund. As Asom Government had shown apathetic attitude in this regard, it was decided in the meeting that an amount to the tune of Rs 500 crore may be deducted from the next Plan outlay for Asom. Meanwhile, the performance of Asom Government in utilization of the SSA fund has come under criticism from the HRD Ministry. When Gujarat has set to become the No. 1 in this category, Asom will be placed below 10. Staff Reporter
