Only Tamil Nadu and West Bengal are yet to sign into the scheme under which the Centre aims to upgrade 14,500 schools across India between 2022-23 and 2026-27.
The first annual conference, likely to be held in June, could be chaired by PM Modi himself. Dharamshala is proposed location for meet being coordinated by NITI Aayog.
Budget deficit target is doable, increased capex is a positive & it takes a realistic, if political, view of disinvestment. But protectionism, rising debts, slashed subsidies are problems.
Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has already written a letter of protest to PM Modi against proposed amendments to IAS (Cadre) Rules. Other Opposition-ruled states could follow.
Constant tussles with BJP govt help Mamata, Kejriwal raise their stature from being state satraps to national leaders, and show they can stand up to Modi's might.
DMK govt accuses Centre of withholding funds, tightening borrowing, unilateral deductions from state accounts. Says Centre's accounting & funding decisions have 'artificially inflated' debt burden.
This is the game every nation is now learning to play. Some are finding new allies or seeing value among nations where they’d seen marginal interest. The starkest example is India & Europe.
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