Fund shortage keeps education act waiting

NEW DELHI: The Centre appears to be in no hurry to notify the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is yet to meet with concerned ministers to sort out the vexing issue of funding the Act. The main roadblock in operationalising the Act has been its fund requirement, which is to the tune of Rs 1,71,000 crore.

A meeting to work out funding issues have been on cards since November. However, the meeting between PM, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, Planning Commission deputy-chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia and HRD minister Kapil Sibal has been postponed. The group was supposed to meet on Saturday, but the meeting was cancelled and a date is yet to be fixed.

This is also delaying the notification of the 86th Constitution Amendment Act, which made education for children up to 14 years a Fundamental Right. Last year, the Planning Commission indicated to the HRD ministry that provisioning for the Act may be difficult given the slowdown in economic growth and the deceleration in cess collection. Sensing the need for an intervention, the HRD ministry had turned to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.