17 september 2024 : Punjab is set to lose approximately ₹180 crore from the pending ₹350 crore due under the Samagra Shiksha scheme for the 2023-24 fiscal year. The funds were withheld by the Centre because the state initially declined to implement the PM SHRI program. Though the state government later agreed in July 2024, resulting in a release of ₹177.19 crore for the 2024-25 period, the ₹350 crore from the previous year remains uncertain. A senior official noted that retrieving the funds might be challenging due to the lapse in last year’s budget. Efforts are underway to secure ₹170 crore, with hopes to reclaim the remaining ₹180 crore through the Ministry of Education.