In Thiruvananthapuram, the Kerala government has paused all further steps on the PM SHRI initiative after a rift in the ruling Left coalition. The state’s chief minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, wrote to the Union Department of Education last week, asking the Centre to suspend progress on the scheme until the issue is clarified.
The move follows the Communist Party of India (CPI), the second‑largest party in the Left Democratic Front (LDF), lodging a formal protest. CPI leaders argued that the state had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Union without first discussing it in a cabinet meeting – a breach of joint‑responsibility norms. They warned that such a misstep could fracture the coalition’s unity.
CPI ministers K. Rajan and P. Prasad met closely with the chief minister to press for an immediate explanation. The CPI’s state secretary, Binoy Viswam, said the decision to delay the scheme was part of LDF’s usual process and that the party would support whatever direction the coalition settled on.
The central sponsorship of the PM SHRI programme, which aims to boost rural school infrastructure, has always raised concerns among left‑leaning parties. They fear that central control could undercut state autonomy in education policy.
Under mounting pressure, Pinarayi Vijayan agreed that a formal letter would be sent to the Centre, effectively putting the project on hold. State Education Minister V. Sivankutty confirmed to reporters that the communication has already been dispatched, with Kerala informing the Centre that all PM SHRI proceedings will be suspended for now.
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