Lok Sabha Question No. 2616 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-09
Subject: Education-Related Central Assistance to Punjab
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Dr. Raj Kumar Chabbewal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO2616

ANSWERED ON- 09.03.2026

## EDUCATION-RELATED CENTRAL ASSISTANCE TO PUNJAB

2616. Dr. Raj Kumar Chabbewal:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  details  of  Central  assistance  released  to  Punjab  under  major  education-related  schemes such  as  Samagra  Shiksha,  PM  SHRI  Schools,  Mid-Day  Meal/PM  POSHAN,  Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) and other relevant programmes during the last three years and the current year, scheme and year-wise;
- (b) whether the Government proposes to increase Central financial assistance to Punjab in view of the State's specific challenges including socio-economic vulnerability and border location and if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  whether  the  Government  has  assessed  the  effectiveness  of  implementation  of  Central education schemes in Punjab and the bottlenecks, if any, affecting optimal utilisation of funds and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d)  the  details  of  steps  being  taken  or  proposed  to  be  taken  by  the  Government  to  strengthen monitoring, ensure timely release of funds, improve learning outcomes and bridge regional and social disparities in education in Punjab?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)

- (a)  to  (d):  The  details  of  Central  assistance  released  to  Punjab  under  major  education-related schemes  such  as  Samagra  Shiksha,  PM  SHRI  Schools,  PM  POSHAN,  Rashtriya  Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) during the last three years and the current year scheme and year-wise is as below:

(₹ in crore)

| Scheme                                      | 2022-23                                    | 2023-24                                    |   2024-25 | 2025-26*   |
|---------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|-----------|------------|
| Samagra Shiksha                             | 605.04                                     | 331.11                                     |    678.13 | 586.20     |
| PM SHRI                                     | Schools were selected in 2023-24 &2024-25. | Schools were selected in 2023-24 &2024-25. |     94.26 | 174.49^    |
| PM POSHAN                                   | 187.13                                     | 199.89                                     |    184.18 | 149.03     |
| ULLAS - Nav Bharat Saksharta Karyakram      | 1.93                                       | 0.00                                       |      1.43 | 1.04^      |
| Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA)# | Non receipt of fund proposal               | Non receipt of fund proposal               |      3.34 | 8.70       |

#Renamed as Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA)

^  The  State  of  Punjab  has  onboarded  the  SNA-SPARSH  model  of  PFMS.  Under  the  SNA-SPARSH model,  mother  sanction  is  issued,  however,  funds  are  released  'just  in  time',  and  vendors  and beneficiaries receive direct payments through daily sanction releases based on the submission of bills on the PFMS portal.

In  addition  to  various  interventions  under  Samagra  Shiksha,  opening  of  new/upgraded schools  is  also  supported,  wherein,  preference  is  given  to  Educationally  Backward  Blocks (EBBs), LWEs, Special Focus Districts (SFDs), Border areas and the 115 aspirational districts identified by Niti Aayog etc.

Central Government provides financial assistance to the States and UTs as per the annual plans prepared by the respective State and UT including Punjab, based on their requirements and priority  (including SEDG and demographic conditions) and this is reflected in their respective Annual  Work  Plan  and  Budget  (AWP&B)  proposals.  These  plans  are  then  appraised  and approved by Project Approval Board (PAB) in consultation with the States and UTs as per the norms of the respective scheme and fund sharing pattern as decided by the Ministry of Finance.

Samagra Shiksha scheme has a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation mechanism to ensure  optimum  impact  of  interventions,  namely,  Performance  Grading  Index  2.0,  UDISE+, PRoject  Appraisal,  Budgeting  Achievements  and  Data  Handling  System  (PRABANDH), Strengthening  of  BRCs/CRCs,  PARAKH,  Audit  Mechanism,  Social  Audit,  Key  Performance Indicators  (KPIs),  Community  Level  Monitoring,  Periodic  meetings  with  Stakeholders  and OOMF.

The National Education Policy 2020 envisages to provide to all students, irrespective of their  place  of  residence,  a  quality  education  system,  with  particular  focus  on  historically marginalized, disadvantaged, and underrepresented groups. It envisions to put initiatives in place to  ensure  that  all  students  from  such  groups,  despite  inherent  obstacles,  are  provided  various targeted opportunities to enter and excel in the educational system. The schemes like Samagra Shiksha, PM SHRI, ULLAS etc. are fully aligned with the objectives of NEP 2020 and are being successfully implemented in the country including Punjab.

The Central Government, through the various forums, including Project Approval Board meetings,  review  meetings,  Zonal  Council  Meetings  and  NITI  Aayog  Governing  Council Meetings, reviews and assesses the implementation of different schemes by the States and UTs and stresses upon/advises the States and UTs to saturate/prioritise the various interventions for providing  holistic  and  qualitative  education;  particularly  to  SEDG  communities  and  border location schools.