Question : Fund for Tamil Nadu

(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?

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:
<pre>
(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*

* Provisional figure up to January/February, 2016
</pre>
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.
***