Lok Sabha Question No. 5967 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-30
Subject: CAG Reports on Punjab Schools
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO5967

ANSWERED ON- 30.03.2026

## CAG REPORTS ON PUNJAB SCHOOLS

5967. Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal: Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state: (a)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  of  the  fact  that  the  Comptroller  and  Auditor General of India (CAG) has flagged Punjab's School Education Board for failing to account for 673 crore of Central funds and that utilisation of Samagra Shiksha funds in the State has remained as low as 44-50 per cent, if so, the details thereof; (b) whether the Government is aware of the fact that the 55-crore Scheduled Castes (SC) Post-Matric Scholarship scam in which 39 crore was paid to ghost institutions with  missing  files  has  been  investigated  by  the  Vigilance  Bureau  and  six  officials dismissed and if so, the details thereof; (c) whether the Central Government is aware of the deplorable State of Government schools in Punjab, schools running with a single teacher and without headmaster, toilets and basic infrastructure, if so, the details thereof; and (d)  the  details  of  the  steps  taken  by  Central  Government  to  ensure  that  Central education funds released to Punjab are not diverted or left unutilised including any conditionality or monitoring mechanism put in place in this regard?

## ANSWER

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

(a): As informed by the State of Punjab, no CAG report has been received pertaining to Punjab School Education Board regarding this matter.

The central share approved and the central share released in respect of Punjab for the years 2024-25 and 2025-26 is as follows:

| Year    | Central share approved   | Central share released           |
|---------|--------------------------|----------------------------------|
| 2024-25 | ₹ 708.78 crore           | ₹ 678.13 crore                   |
| 2025-26 | ₹ 947.56 crore           | ₹ 586.20 crore (till 27.03.2026) |

- (b): As informed by the State of Punjab, the matter regarding alleged misappropriation of funds under the Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme for Scheduled Caste students is under investigation by the Vigilance Bureau, Punjab and the investigation is ongoing. Further, Punjab Government has also taken action against some State Government employees.
- (c): The Punjab Government has informed that the number of single teacher schools and schools with no headmaster are 1441 and 563, respectively. All the schools have toilets  and  basic  infrastructure.  Advisories  have  been  issued on a  regular  basis  to strengthen Human Resources in schools and to maintain normative PTR.
- (d):  This  Department  uses  a  comprehensive  online  monitoring  system  called PRABANDH  (Project  Appraisal,  Budgeting  Achievements  and  Data  Handling)  to monitor the releases and expenditure, besides viewing approved outlays and other scheme related  information.  Further,  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 advise the States and UTs to implement the various interventions under the Scheme for providing holistic and qualitative education.

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