Manickam Tagore demands release of ₹5,109 crore in Samagra Shiksha funds for Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu Congress leader Manickam Tagore has accused the Union government of withholding over ₹5,000 crore in education funds from the state. He claims this is a political tactic to pressure the state government regarding its education policies.
Why it matters
The dispute illustrates the ongoing friction between state and central governments in India regarding federal funding and educational autonomy.
Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K. Manickam Tagore has accused the BJP-led Union government of withholding ₹5,109 crore in education funds due to Tamil Nadu under the Samagra Shiksha scheme over the past three years.
In a statement, Mr. Tagore said the Union government had withheld ₹1,788 crore in 2024-25, ₹1,496 crore in 2025-26 and ₹1,825 crore in the current financial year, citing figures from the Tamil Nadu School Education Department’s policy note.
He alleged that the Centre had released only ₹714 crore towards the Right to Education (RTE) scheme despite a Supreme Court order, while continuing to withhold other school education funds. The Tamil Nadu government had continued to run its schools despite the lack of central assistance, allocating ₹2,014 crore from its own funds over the past two years and ₹647 crore in the current year, he said.
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