New Delhi, Sept. 18: The Planning Commission has approved a proposal to increase the Centre's share of funds under the Sarva Siksha Abhiyaan (SSA) for 11 states, including Bengal.
The Planning Commission on Saturday gave its nod to the Union human resource development (HRD) ministry's proposal that the central share in the funds be raised to 75 per cent from 65 per cent for Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh. The central share in the funds for Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh is set to be increased to 90 per cent from 65 per cent.
"The HRD ministry had proposed to increase central funding under the SSA to 75 per cent in those states where the literacy rate is lower than the national average. It had also proposed to increase the central share to 90 per cent in all the special-category states mentioned in the Twelfth Five-Year Plan. These proposals have been accepted," a Planning Commission official said.
The Planning Commission's decision will now go to the cabinet and the National Development Council for final approval.
The Centre-state funding ratio under the SSA was revised in 2010 to 65:35 from 55:45. The ratio for the northeastern states and Jammu and Kashmir is 90:10.
States such as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have been demanding that the Centre's share in the scheme be increased.
The total expenditure under the SSA increased to Rs 38,000 crore in 2011-12 from Rs 32,000 crore in 2010-11 and Rs 21,000 crore in 2009-10.
The SSA is the most important scheme for improving the standard of schools. Since its introduction in 2000-01, nearly three lakh elementary schools have been opened and 20 lakh teachers' posts have been sanctioned.