New Delhi, Dec. 21: Human resource development minister Murli Manohar Joshi has knocked on the doors of the Prime Minister, seeking more funds from the finance ministry for the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan.

In its 10th plan, the Planning Commission had said a sum of Rs 32,000 crore was required for implementing the programme, aimed at putting children in the 6-14 age group in school by this year. The finance ministry, however, allocated only Rs 17,000 crore.

Joshi, who has been upset with the finance ministry for starving the programme of funds, has sought Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s intervention in the matter.

In his letter to the Prime Minister, Joshi has underlined that the right to education was a fundamental right and said that the programme was laid down under Vajpayee’s guidance.

The Centre, Joshi pointed out, would invite criticism in case it failed to implement the programme. The minister has asked the Prime Minister to give necessary directions to the finance ministry and the Planning Commission to ensure more funds for the programme.

Tussle between the human resource development and finance ministries is not new.

Every year, a couple of months before the budget session begins in February, the former ministry starts petitioning the finance ministry for funds. Usually, funds sanctioned for education, health, women and children fall far below the requirements.

Although the last Union budget brought cheers to the health ministry, the human resource development ministry was left out in the cold. Pushed to the wall, Joshi did an about-turn and asked international agencies for funds. With the finance ministry now appearing to have capped the total requirement for the programme at Rs 17,000 crore, Joshi will have to raise the additional Rs 15,000 crore from foreign organisations.

Earlier in this session, Joshi had announced in Parliament that the European Commission was giving 200 million Euros. The World Bank and the British Overseas Development Agency were also interested in pitching in.

With Joshi adopting a tough stand, telling foreign agencies that funds would not be accepted if conditions were laid down for the same, the task was made easier. Foreign agencies, which had been keen on stricter monitoring of the programme as a condition for releasing funds, have given in to the government’s point of view.

The programme for universalisation of elementary education is already running behind schedule, having not been able to achieve its first target of putting children in the 6-14 age group in schools by the end of this year. The Centre has blamed state governments for their lethargic response to the programme.