Kerala signed MoU for PM SHRI on Oct 16 without cabinet nod

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government has changed its stance on the PM SHRI scheme and expedited its inclusion in the centre project following the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on October 10. Though CPI, a major ally of the LDF, opposed the PM SHRI scheme, the Pinarayi government decided to implement it in secret, sources revealed.

Close on the heels of the PM-CM meeting, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was prepared without any discussion in the Cabinet or within the Left Democratic Front (LDF). The agreement was formally executed on October 16.

K Vasuki, Secretary of the General Education Department, signed the MoU on behalf of Kerala, while Additional Secretary Dheeraj Sahu signed for the Centre. State Education Department Additional Secretary Dr S Chithra and Samagra Shiksha Kerala (SSK) Director Dr A R Supriya signed as witnesses, along with two Central government officials.

Interestingly, Dr Chithra did not accompany the State delegation to the national capital. It is explained that her signature was obtained in advance and carried to Delhi for the official signing ceremony. It has been learned that even the top leadership of the CPM was unaware of the decision to proceed with the agreement.

When the CPI Minister K Rajan raised objections to joining the PM SHRI project during the cabinet meeting last Wednesday, neither the Chief Minister nor the Education Minister disclosed that the MoU had already been prepared and that the department secretary had left for New Delhi to sign it.

The CPI leadership is now questioning exactly what transpired in Delhi that led to such a discreet and hasty signing of the agreement, despite being fully aware that it could strain unity within the LDF coalition. Allegations are now being raised about a possible secret understanding between the CPM and the BJP, and between Pinarayi Vijayan and Narendra Modi.