Lok Sabha Question No. 2462 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-08
Subject: Ashram Schools
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Kirit Premjibhai Solanki

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA (MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2462

TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.07.2019

## ASHRAM SCHOOLS

## 2462. DR. (PROF.) KIRIT PREMJIBHAI SOLANKI:

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)   the number of Ashram Schools that have been set up and are functional since the inception of the  scheme  along  with  the  salient  features  of  the  scheme  and  the  current  status  of  its implementation in the country, State/UT-wise;
- (b)   the details of the funds allocated under the scheme during the current and previous financial year, State/UT-wise;
- (c)   the medium of instruction used in ashram schools; and
- (d)   the  details  of  the  other  measures  being  taken  by  the  Government  to  improve  literacy  rates amongst tribals?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR TRIBAL AFFAIRS (Smt. RENUKA SINGH SARUTA)

(a) to (c): Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) was running a separate scheme 'Establishment of  Ashram  Schools  in  Tribal  Sub-Plan  Areas'  under  which  funds  were  provided  to  State Governments for construction of Ashram schools as per following norms:

| Funding Pattern                                | Funding Pattern   |
|------------------------------------------------|-------------------|
| Central Share                                  | State Share       |
| (i) 100% for Girls Ashram Schools              | --                |
| (ii) 100% for Boys Ashram Schools in LWE areas | --                |
| (iii) 100% for UTs                             | --                |
| (iv) 50% for Boys Ashram Schools in States.    | 50%               |

The intervention is subsumed in the scheme of 'Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub-Scheme (SCA  to  TSS)'.  Therefore,  no  separate  allocation  was  made  under  'Establishment  of  Ashram Schools in Tribal Sub-Plan Areas' scheme during the current and previous financial year.

Ministry of Tribal Affairs provides construction cost, State Government is responsible for running and overall maintenance of these Ashram schools including selection of medium of instruction. Statement showing State-wise list of Ashram Schools sanctioned by MoTA and their functional status is at Annexure.

- (d) Government has been implementing a number of interventions to improve the educational status of the tribals :
- (i) Funds are provided under Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub-Scheme (SCA to TSS) and Grants under Article 275 (1) of the Constitution for various interventions relating to improvement of education including construction of new hostel buildings and/or extension of existing hostels, construction of primary, middle, secondary and senior secondary level of education etc.
- (ii) Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) are set up with capacity of 480 students per school  under  grants  in  aid  under  Article  275(1)  of  the  Constitution  to  States,  to  provide quality middle, Secondary and higher secondary education to ST students.
- (iii) This Ministry also provides Pre-Matric and Post-Matric Scholarship for ST Students.
- (iv) Funds  are  provided  for  recurring  expenses  for  Residential  Schools  and  Non-Residential Schools to Voluntary Agencies including for running schools for ST girls in Low Literacy Districts.
- (v) Assistance is provided for construction of Girls toilets to check girl dropout and to address sanitation issues, promotion of kitchen garden, traditional food in school meals and Sports.
- (vi) The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) implemented by M/o Human Resource Development (MHRD), provides for free and compulsory elementary education to all children in the age group of 6 to 14 years including ST children.
- (vii) Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) scheme provides for residential schools for girls at upper primary level; a minimum of 75% seats are for minority, SC, ST and OBC girls. KGBVs cover 69% ST girls in ST Special Focus Districts.
- (viii) Ministry of Human Resource Development is implementing the Scheme 'Samagra Shiksha Abhiya'  as  an  integrated  scheme  of  school  education  wherein  financial  assistance  is provided  to  States  /Union  Territories  for  setting  up  residential  schools  /  hostels.  The scheme reaches out to girls  and  children  belonging  to  Scheduled  Caste  (SC),  Scheduled Tribe (ST), minority communities and transgender.
- (ix) Navodaya  Vidyalaya  Samiti  (NVS)  scheme  envisages  setting  up  of  one  Navodaya Vidyalaya  in  each  district  of  the  country.  These  residential  schools  impart  good  quality modern education to rural talented children irrespective of their socio-economic background including ST children.

Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) to (c) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2462 for answer on 8.7.2019.

## State-wise list of Ashram Schools and functional status thereof

| State/UT                           | Number of Ashram Schools   | Number of Ashram Schools   |
|------------------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------|
| State/UT                           | Ashram Schools Sanctioned  | Functional Ashram Schools  |
| Andhra Pradesh including Telangana | 188                        | 188                        |
| Assam                              | 3                          | 1                          |
| Chhattisgarh                       | 134                        | 128                        |
| Goa                                | 1                          | 1                          |
| Gujarat                            | 164                        | 164                        |
| Jharkhand                          | 24                         | 3                          |
| Karnataka                          | 28                         | 23                         |
| Kerala                             | 14                         | 14                         |
| Madhya Pradesh                     | 404                        | 303                        |
| Maharashtra                        | 95                         | 90                         |
| Odisha                             | 97                         | 63                         |
| Rajasthan                          | 9                          | 0                          |
| Sikkim                             | 1                          | 1                          |
| Tripura                            | 24                         | 24                         |
| Uttar Pradesh                      | 7                          | 5                          |
| Uttarakhand                        | 12                         | 10                         |
| Total                              | 1205                       | 1018                       |

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