Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui on Wednesday warned that the Meghalaya government would face an additional financial burden of nearly Rs 500 crore if the central government discontinues the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) scheme.
Speaking to reporters, Rymbui said the state government is making efforts to impress upon the Government of India to continue the SSA scheme, as its discontinuation would severely impact the state’s finances.
“If the Government of India stops or does not continue the scheme, the state will have to bear the entire Rs 235 crore, along with an increase in salaries for adhoc and SSA teachers. This would result in an additional burden of around Rs 100 to Rs 300 crore,” the minister explained.
Rymbui said the state is already facing difficulties in managing the existing financial shortfall under the scheme. He pointed out that while the Project Approval Board (PAB) has approved Rs 235 crore, the Centre has released only Rs 139 crore, forcing the state government to bear Rs 72 crore.
“These are issues that are not very easy for the education department or the government to address in one go,” he said.
The minister appealed to all stakeholders to understand the challenges faced by the government and extend their cooperation. “We are here to serve the people to the best of our abilities. We are not sitting on one issue; we are dealing with multiple issues that need to be addressed,” Rymbui said.
Assuring that the government remains committed to fulfilling its promises, Rymbui urged for mutual understanding and patience. “We will try to resolve these issues one by one, with the support of the Chief Minister,” he added.