Lok Sabha Question No. 6316 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-04-12
Subject: Digital Literacy for Tribals
Ministry: ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: MANSHANKAR NINAMA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (MeitY)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 6316

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 12.04.2017

## DIGITAL LITERACY FOR TRIBALS

## 6316.     SHRI MANSHANKAR NINAMA:

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

- (a) whether  the  tribal  youth  have  the  lowest  literacy  in  electronics  and  information technology as compared to others;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government is considering to start a scheme to boost digital literacy by giving special focus on tribal population; and
- (d) 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 (d):   1.  As  per  National  Sample  Survey  Office  (NSSO)  71 st Round  report  on  social consumption  relating  to  education,  the  proportion  of  households  in  the  country  having computer  during  2014  is  around  14%  (only  6%  of  rural  households  and  29%  of  urban households possessed computer). This highlights that more than 15 crore rural households (@ 94% of 16.85 crore households) do not have computers and a significant number of these households are likely to be digitally illiterate. No specific data on tribal youth is indicated in the said NSSO report.

2. Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology is implementing several programmes  which  have  benefitted  the  tribal  population.  Some  of  these  programmes  are given below:
2. (i) The Government of India has implemented two Schemes on providing digital literacy to the masses namely 'National Digital Literacy Mission (NDLM)' and 'Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (DISHA)' with a cumulative target of 52.50 lakh persons (one person from every eligible household) across the country. The targets envisaged under NDLM and DISHA schemes have been successfully achieved in December 2016. A total number of 7,17,412 tribal candidates were certified under NDLM / DISHA schemes.
3. (ii) The  Government  has  approved  a  scheme  titled  'Pradhan  Mantri  Gramin  Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA)' to usher in digital literacy in rural India by covering 6  crore  rural  households  (one  person  per  household)  by  31.03.2019.  The  scheme  is specifically  targeting  the  rural  population  especially  the  marginalized  sections  of society  including  Scheduled  Tribes.  Under  this  scheme,  the  states/UTs  with  major

concentration  of  tribal  population  would  have  a  total  target  of  around  20  lakh beneficiaries.

- (iii) Under  the  two  Schemes  for  Skill  Development  in  Electronic  System  Design  and Manufacturing (ESDM), so far, a total of 13,910 Scheduled Tribe candidates have been enrolled, out of which 10,682 candidates have been trained as on March, 2017.
- (iv) 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 these projects are as under:-
- a) Government has approved a project titled 'Development of North Eastern Region by enhancing the Training / Education capacity in the Information, Electronics & Communications  Technology  (IECT)  Area'  with  an  objective  of  setting  up  18 Centres/Extension Centres of NIELIT in tribal dominated NE Region to empower the youth in the field of IECT area. So far NIELIT Centres are operational in 17 locations  and  the  training  capacity  has  been  increased  to  around  13,000  per annum.
- b) NIELIT is running its own campus at Kohima wherein about 15,034 students have been trained in various long term courses such as BCA, 'O' level, 'A'  level,  CHM-'O'  level  and  short  term  courses  like  CCC,  BCC  etc  as  on March, 2017.
- c) A permanent campus of NIELIT has been setup at Agartala where  about 9,000 students  in  various  long  term  courses  like  BCA,  O-level,  A-level,  CHM-O  and short terms courses like CCC, BCC etc have been trained as on March, 2017.
- d) Under Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP), the ST candidates are being trained free of cost at NIELIT Centres across the country.
- (v) Under  'IT  for  Masses'  Programme  which  targets  Women,  Scheduled  Caste  and Scheduled  Tribes,  projects  are  funded  for  providing  IT  training  including  Digital Literacy,  providing  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 as on September 2015.
- b) 'IT Mass Literacy Programme for Scheduled Tribe (ST)' - 4,392 ST candidates trained as on March 2016.
- c) 'Capacity  building  of  1,260  ST  students  of  North  Orissa  University  and  its affiliated  colleges  in  IT  tools'  -  1,260  ST  candidates  trained  as  on  November 2016.
- 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 1,283 ST candidates trained as on March 2017.
- e) 'Capacity building in IT skills of Scheduled Tribes (ST) candidates -Chhattisgarh'  3,287  candidates  trained  on  basic  computer  course  and  857
- candidates have been trained on Advance courses (Photoshop & Web Designing) as on March 2017.
- f) 'Capacity building in IT skills of Scheduled Tribes (ST) candidates - Andaman & Nicobar' - 1,006 Candidates trained as on March 2017.
- g) 'Capacity building for the upliftment of 2,000 Scheduled Tribes (ST) candidates Union  Territory  of  Lakshadweep'  1,878  ST  candidates  trained  /  undergoing training as on March 2017.
- h) 'Empowering underprivileged (ST) youths and women of four backward districts of Nagaland through ICT skills training' approved with an objective of training 1,280 Tribal youths from 4(four) backward districts of Nagaland in 150 hours ICT course.

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