Lok Sabha Question No. 472 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-02-06
Subject: Fund for Tamil Nadu
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: PR. SENTHILNATHAN, P.R. SUNDARAM

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION AND LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 472 TO BE ANSWERED ON 6 TH  FEBRUARY, 2017

## Fund for Tamil Nadu

## 472.      SHRI PR. SENTHIL NATHAN: SHRI P.R. SUNDARAM:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has received any request from various State Governments pending funds  committed  in  the  approved  plan  of  the  Sarva  Shiksha  Abhiyan  Scheme  during  the  last three  years  despite  the  States  having  submitted  all  necessary  documentation  well  in  time  and having met all their commitments and performance parameters;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government to expedite the release of the same;

(c) the total Education Cess collected during the last three years, year-wise and the distribution of the same to various States/UTs during the corresponding periods; and

(d)  the  corrective  steps  taken  by  the  Union  Government  to  avoid  any  shortfalls  in  approved central share release under SSA?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRI UPENDRA KUSHWAHA)

(a) to (d): The  SSA  has  been  designated  as  the  vehicle  for  implementing  the  Right  of Children  to  Free  and  Compulsory  Education  (RTE)  Act,  2009.  Section  7(1)  of  the  RTE  Act, 2009, states that both the Centre and the State shall have concurrent responsibility for providing funds  for  carrying  out  the  provisions  of  the  Act.    Section  7(2)  states  that  estimates  for implementing  the  Act  shall  be  prepared  and  the  PAB  outlay  may  be  taken  as  the  estimates prepared  in  compliance  with  this  sub-section.    Further,  Section  7(3)  states  that  the  Central Government shall provide to the State Government, as grants-in-aid of revenues, such percentage of expenditure as it may determine, while, Section 7(5) states that the State Government shall, taking into consideration the sums provided by the Central Government to a State Government, be responsible to provide funds for the implementation of the provisions of the Act.

With  the  acceptance  of  the  recommendations  of  the  14th  Finance  Commission  by  the Government of India, the devolution of funds to the States has been increased from 32% to 42 % of  the  net  Union  Tax  Receipts.    With  the  enhanced  devolution  of  funds,  States  may  consider allocating more funds to SSA so as to carry out the functions and responsibilities conferred upon the States by Section 7(5) of the RTE Act, 2009.

It is, therefore, clear that the responsibility for meeting the fund requirement vests with both the Centre and the States.

The details of amount collected through education cess during the last three years are as given below:

(Rs in crores)

| Financial Year   | Funds collected as Education Cess   |
|------------------|-------------------------------------|
| 2012-13          | 30641.47                            |
| 2013-14          | 33902.37                            |
| 2014-15          | 35986.13                            |
| 2015-16          | 21030.48*                           |

The proceeds of Primary Education Cess are credited to Prarambhik Shiksha Kosh (PSK) and are used  to  meet  part  of  expenditure  on  SSA  and  Mid  Day  Meal  (MDM)  Schemes.  There  is  no separate fund to credit Secondary and Higher Education Cess and funds required for secondary and  higher  education  are  directly  allocated  through  budgetary  provisions.  State-wise  data regarding utilization of cess is not maintained.

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