Thiruvananthapuram: Senior CPM leader and former General Education Minister V Sivankutty on Monday alleged that the state government's claim that Kerala had received funds under the PM SHRI scheme was "completely false" and accused the UDF government of abandoning its earlier stand against the Centre's education policies.

Sivankutty said Kerala had not implemented the PM SHRI scheme and therefore had not received any funds from the Centre under the programme.

"The claim made by the General Education Minister (N Samsudheen) that Kerala has received PM SHRI funds is a blatant lie. Since the state has not implemented the scheme so far, not even a single rupee has been received from the Centre for it," he said.

Sivankutty said the previous Left government had signed the PM SHRI MoU only after the Centre allegedly linked the release of funds under Samagra Shiksha Kerala to the agreement.

According to him, the state later decided to freeze the MoU after concluding that the National Education Policy (NEP), which forms the basis of the PM SHRI scheme, contained provisions aimed at implementing the BJP government's ideological agenda.

He said the decision was formally communicated to the Union Education Ministry by the then state government through both the Education Minister and the department secretary.

Sivankutty further claimed that the ₹92.41 crore released later by the Centre was not PM SHRI funding but the first instalment due to Samagra Shiksha Kerala, following discussions between the state and the Centre.

"That amount was adjusted against reimbursement dues payable to the state under the Right to Education Act," he said.

The CPM leader alleged that when central funds were withheld, the state government had met the expenditure for benefits to students and teachers from the state exchequer.

Accusing the UDF government of reversing its earlier position, Sivankutty said the ruling front was now attempting to proceed with the PM SHRI scheme despite previously opposing it. He also alleged that the state government had surrendered to the Sangh Parivar's agenda and was facilitating the implementation of policies linked to the National Education Policy.