New Delhi, Oct. 28: Human resource development minister Arjun Singh today warned states they must ?deliver results? in primary education now that they do not face a resource crunch.

?Politics should not come in the way of implementing policies on education. There is no difference of opinion on spreading education because it is a national cause,? Singh said while inaugurating a day-long conference of state education ministers here.

The Union minister also asked the education ministers to take ?proper action? to create HIV/AIDS awareness in schools. Six ministers met here yesterday to discuss a national action plan to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, with Singh urging them to make the programme a success.

The HRD minister said the states will have to get their act together to implement the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan since there was no dearth of resources for the programme now.

State governments often use the ?resource crunch? plea when they are pulled up for non-performance.

?We have to go beyond platitudes and prove ourselves to make (the) SSA (Sarva Siksha Abhiyan) a success since we can no longer take shelter in a resource crunch plea,? Singh said.

He reminded the education ministers that money from a two per cent education cess would be placed under a non-lapsable head so that it can be fully utilised for primary education.

The Abhiyan, launched by the previous National Democratic Alliance, aims to put all children in the 6-14 age group into primary schools by 2007. But the programme is dogged by serious problems and according to the latest estimates there are 81 lakh children outside schools even now.