Right to Education comes with a price tag of Rs.1.78 lakh crore
The Right to Education Act has brought much delight to the poor who are looking forward to get educated or having their wards educated for free through the Right to Education Act. The Act was appreciated by every Indian citizen who hoped to have a larger population of India being educated. Now for the reality check.
The aesthetically appealing “Right to Education” Act apparently comes with a heavy price tag of Rs.1.78 lakh crore. The HRD plans to raise nearly Rs.50000 crore from the Sarve Shikshha Abhiyan(SSA) Fund and expects about Rs.60,0000 to be allotted to the SSA in the 12th Plan. But this will still leave the effective demand at Rs.68,000 crore. The HRD ministry plans to raise the remaining fund from states who are excepted to allocate some a sum towards funding the Act. But sources expect a long discussion regarding fund pooling between the Centre and the States.
Currently the SSA funding ratio between the Centre and the State is 60:50 which will be 50:50 by the 12th plan. However, the states who have already spoken about the fund sharing do not seem to be lenient about raising the fund expected from them. While Madhya Pradesh chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan has written to the PM demanding that the fund ratio be 90:10 between Centre and states, Orissa CM has proposed a 75:25 sharing pattern. Bihar has also indicted that it cannot bear the costs since it is already allocating 25% of its annual budget to education.
The Act is supposed to be implemented from the following academic year. Following such responses, the fear of delay in implementation of the Act over fund pooling between Centre and state has been expressed.
Do you think the Centre’s plea to raise about half the costs for the Right to Education fund is justified? Do you think the States should be more liberal in allotting funds for a noble cause such as education? Do you have a suggestion or opinion to make regarding the matter? We encourage discussion through comments.
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