Parliament Question: Education-Related Central Assistance to Punjab

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 2616 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 94.26 174.49^ 2023-24 & 2024-25. PM POSHAN 187.13 199.89 184.18 149.03 ULLAS – Nav Bharat 1.93 0.00 1.43 1.04^ Saksharta Karyakram Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Non receipt of fund proposal 3.34 8.70 Abhiyan (RUSA)# *As on 05.03.2026#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. ****