Bathinda, January 2
The Punjab Government has decided not to implement education schemes of the Union Government in the state. The reason: The SAD-BJP regime feels these schemes have been conceived without taking local factors into consideration.

The Badal government says sudden changes in the schemes or their discontinuation were resulting in agitations for regularisation of jobs.

Punjab has even refused to implement a Rs 65-crore Central Government scheme under the Saksharta Mission arguing that the Centre changed or withdrew such schemes “at its own convenience”. Under this scheme, a person would be paid Rs 2,000 for inspiring illiterates to learn basic reading and writing. Talking to The Tribune, Punjab Education Minister Sikander Singh Maluka said the state government had decided not to implement any Central scheme till the latter gives an assurance that it won’t be closed mid-way. “We face protests from a number of ‘beneficiaries’ of such schemes after the Central Government changes or withdraws it. We want the schemes to be regular and not just dependent on the convenience of the Centre. Also, it should take local factors into consideration,” he said.

The Badal government wants a review of a particular scheme that ask states not to fail any student till Class VIII. The state is also pressing for a review of the mid-day meal scheme on the grounds that Punjab and other states fare differently on the poverty front. It also wants a reassessment of allocation of funds for renovation and maintenance of school buildings.

Maluka said the ongoing agitation of Special Trainer Resources teachers, which entered its 72nd day today, was a fall out of discontinuation of one such scheme. “Initially, the scheme was meant for about 1,900 teachers, who would be paid Rs 3,500 for teaching slum children. The government later stopped the scheme only to modify it later,” he said.

The state has informed the Centre about its decision in principle. “I have raised the matter along with CM Parkash Singh Badal at meetings with Centre’s representatives. We have told them that promoting all students up to Class VIII, even if they fail to make the grades, was proving counter-productive. I have received reports that students are less serious about exams .”