Shimla, April 3

The Education Ministry has given a record Rs 966 crore to the state under Samagra Shiksha for the year 2024-25. "Samagra Shiksha has spent the entire budget of Rs 817.61 crore received from the Central Government in the last financial year. It's the first time that Himachal Samagra Shiksha has spent 100 per cent budget in a financial year," said Samagra Shiksha Project Director Rajesh Sharma here yesterday.

According to the Project Director, the state had received Rs 629.08 in 2021-22, out of which Rs 428.21 crore was spent. In the financial year 2022-23, Himachal received Rs 709.82 crore, out of which Rs 523.79 crore was spent.

"In 2023-24, Himachal managed to spend the entire amount of Rs 817.61 crore for holistic education, due to which the Centre has released a fund of Rs 966 crore to the state for 2024-25," said the Project Director.

Sharma further said the state had received higher amount under the STARS project as well. "In 2023-24, the state received Rs 274.74 crore from the Centre under this project, out of which Rs 272.21 crore was spent," he said. Sharma said if the funds received from the Centre were fully spent, the financial burden on the treasury of the state government would reduce.

"Samagra Shiksha has worked closely with the Directorate of Elementary and Higher Education. The tenders for providing ICT, smart class rooms or other basic facilities were made on time. Hence, the funds were not going back to the Centre," he said.