Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan (Congress) announced that the Kerala government will implement the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM-SHRI) scheme.

The decision creates a political friction point because the Congress party opposes the program at the national level. However, the state administration argues that legal and financial obligations necessitate the program's continuation to avoid complications with the central government.

Satheesan said the state was compelled to continue with the scheme because Kerala had already signed the PM-SHRI Memorandum of Understanding and received money [1]. The current administration is managing the fallout of agreements made by the previous Left Democratic Front (LDF) government.

"We are forced to continue with the PM-SHRI scheme as the previous LDF government signed the agreement and accepted initial funds from the Centre," Satheesan said [2].

The move comes as the new government settles into power following the election results on May 19, 2026 [3]. Satheesan's administration includes a mix of experienced politicians and 20 new faces [4].

While the implementation proceeds, the government intends to apply specific riders to the program to align it with state priorities. This approach attempts to balance the necessity of utilizing central funds with the party's ideological opposition to the scheme's national framework.

Satheesan said he has also held meetings with the Prime Minister and Finance Minister to discuss broader center-state issues, emphasizing the need for cooperation despite political differences.

“"Kerala govt was compelled to continue with the scheme as the state had already signed the PM-SHRI MoU and had received money."”

This situation highlights the tension between national party ideology and state-level governance in India's federal system. By proceeding with the PM-SHRI scheme, the Satheesan government prioritizes the pragmatic retention of central funding and the fulfillment of existing legal contracts over a strict adherence to the Congress party's national platform.