Lok Sabha Question No. 4478 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-12-14
Subject: Digital Literacy in Tribals
Ministry: ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: PARAYAMPARANBIL KUTTAPPAN BIJU

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4478

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 14.12.2016

## DIGITAL LITERACY IN TRIBALS

## 4478 SHRI P.K BIJU:

Will the Minister of Electronics and Information Technology be pleased to state: -

- (a) the status of electronics and IT literacy among tribal youths;
- (b) whether the Government is considering to launch any scheme of enhancing electronics and  IT literacy specifically targeting tribal population; and
- (c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI P.P. CHAUDHARY)

(a)  to  (c):  The  Government  has  taken  various  initiatives  to  improve  the  electronics  and  IT literacy  among  tribal  youths.  The  initiatives  of  Ministry  of  Electronics  &  Information Technology which have benefitted the tribal youths include the following:

- -National Digital Literacy Mission (NDLM): Under this scheme, 10 lakh beneficiaries (1 per household) were provided Digital Literacy across the country out of which 1,23,602 Scheduled Tribes candidates were trained and certified.
- -Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (DISHA): Under this scheme, 42.5 lakh beneficiaries (1 per household) are to be provided Digital Literacy across the country. So far, 5,93,810 Scheduled Tribes candidates have been trained and certified.
- -Under  two  Schemes  for  Skill  Development  in  Electronic  System  Design  and Manufacturing (ESDM), so far, a total of 8,683 Scheduled Tribe candidates have been enrolled, out which 6,253 candidates have been trained so far.
- -National  Institute  of  Electronics  and  Information  Technology  (NIELIT)  Centres  are implementing various capacity building projects for upliftment of ST population in the area  of  Information  Technology  and  Electronics.    Some  of  the  projects  being implemented by NIELIT Centres are as under:-
- a) 'Empowering underprivileged (ST) youths and women of four backward districts of Nagaland through ICT skills training' is implemented by NIELIT Kohima for training of 1280 Tribal youths of Nagaland.
- b) 'Capacity  Building  Programme for  creating  e-readiness  of  the  ST  Youth  of  NE State  and  State  Government  Employees' is  implemented  by  NIELIT  Kohima -2295 ST youths trained and 163 Middle Level State Government Employees (ST) and NGOs trained in 3 days training on e-Gov project life cycle.
- c) 'Training of SC&ST students in Capacity Building for e-Governance Applications' is  implemented by NIELIT Imphal to train 900 SC/ST students of Manipur in Certificate Course in IT & e-Governance Applications.
- d) NIELIT  Centres,  with  financial  support  of  MeitY  are    implementing  a  scheme titled Scheduled Caste Sub Plan (SCSP) for Scheduled Castes and Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) for Scheduled Tribes under which SC/ST candidates are being trained free of cost at NIELIT Centres across the country.
- -Under  'IT  for  Masses'  Programme  which  targets  Women,  Scheduled  Caste  and Scheduled Tribes, projects are funded for   IT training including Digital Literacy, IT infrastructure to girls schools, women colleges, ST schools (Eklavya, Kasturba Gandhi Balika  Vidyalaya)  and  entrepreneurship  creation.    The  following  projects  have  been implemented for Scheduled Tribes under this programme :-
- a) 'e-Inclusion: IT training for Rural Scheduled Tribe (ST), Scheduled Caste (SC) & Women Beneficiaries' -17,147 ST candidates trained.
- b) 'IT Mass Literacy Programme for Scheduled Tribe (ST)' -4,392 ST candidates trained.
- c) 'Capacity  building  of  1260  ST  students  of  North  Orissa  University  and  its affiliated colleges in IT tools' -1,260 ST candidates trained.
- d) 'IT skills & e-Inclusion through low cost access devices based awareness program for Scheduled Tribes - Kerala' - ICT infrastructure set up at 6 locations and 1,260 ST candidates trained.
- e) 'Capacity building in IT skills of Scheduled Tribes (ST) candidates -Chhattisgarh'  -  2,542  candidates  trained  on  basic  computer  course  and  657 candidates have been trained on Advance courses (Photoshop & Web Designing).
- f) 'Capacity building in IT skills of Scheduled Tribes (ST) candidates - Andaman & Nicobar' - 591 Candidates trained.
- g) 'Capacity building for the upliftment of 2000 Scheduled Tribes (ST) candidates Union  Territory  of  Lakshadweep'  -  1,870  ST  candidates  trained/under  going training.
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