The HRD Ministry has decided to crack the whip. In a fresh notification, the Ministry has directed the states to send in fund utilisation certificates to the Centre, before any more education funds are released to them.The Secretary, Higher Education in the HRD Minister, S.K. Tripathi on Monday said: ‘‘The states must spend the funds allocated to them for education and send to the Union Government a utilisation certificate regarding this. Only then will more funds be made available to them.’’In what could again have the state governments on a warpath on the education issue, Tripathi said, ‘‘The Government is planning to send officers from the Centre to monitor the schemes. There is need for a more effective monitoring of the education schemes.’’To improve the quality of education, the HRD Ministry plans to merge five existing schemes: science education, international science olympiads, environmental orientation, population education and yoga.
