Lok Sabha Question No. 1148 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-02-08
Subject: Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Anurag Sharma, Anil Firojiya, Parbatbhai Savabhai Patel, Nisith Pramanik, Vinod Kumar Sonkar, Raja Amareshwara Naik, Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo, Dipsinh Shankarsinh Rathod, Jayanta Kumar Roy, Naranbhai Bhikhabhai Kachhadiya, Bhola Singh, Mohanbhai Kalyanji Kundariya, Sukanta Majumdar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1148 TO BE ANSWERED ON 8.02.2021

## Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat

†1148. SHRI ANURAG SHARMA:

SHRI ANIL FIROJIYA:

SHRI PARBATBHAI SAVABHAI PATEL:

SHRI NISITH PRAMANIK:

SHRI VINOD KUMAR SONKAR:

SHRI RAJA AMARESHWARA NAIK:

SHRIMATI SANGEETA KUMARI SINGH DEO:

SHRI DIPSINH SHANKARSINH RATHOD:

DR. JAYANTA KUMAR ROY:

SHRI NARANBHAI KACHHADIYA:

SHRI BHOLA SINGH:

SHRI MOHANBHAI KALYANJI KUNDARIYA:

DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has been implementing 'Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat' programme to unite the countrymen and promote harmony and bonding and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether several Ministries have been associated with the EBSB programme and if so, the details of activities taken so far, Ministry-wise;
- (c) whether a Group of Ministers(GoM) has been set up to review the progress of the EBSB programme;
- (d) if so, the details thereof including meetings held so far and outcome thereof;
- (e) the details of efforts made under 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat' to maintain diversity of India which is its main pillar of strength;
- (f) the positive and negative outcome of such efforts; and
- (g) the other steps taken/being taken by the Government to make the EBSB programme more visible and effective particularly under the present COVID-19 pandemic scenario?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF EDUCATION

## (SHRI RAMESH POKHRIYAL 'NISHANK')

(a) & (b) Yes, Sir. The participating Ministries / Departments under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat programme are Ministry of Education; Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports; Ministry of Culture; Ministry of Defence; Ministry of Information and Broadcasting; Ministry of Railways; Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Home Affairs. In addition to this, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; Ministry of AYUSH; Ministry of Women & Child Development; Ministry of Agriculture; Ministry of Textiles; Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises have been invited to join this programme from January, 2021.

(c) & (d) Yes, Sir. The Group of Ministers set up to review the progress of EBSB programme include - Hon'ble Minister of Education, Hon'ble Minister of Information & Broadcasting, Hon'ble MOS (I/C) for Youth Affairs & Sports, Hon'ble MOS (I/C) for Culture and Tourism. Four meetings of the Group of Ministers have been held. In the meetings, review of the activities was carried out and directions were given for improvement of the programme.

(e), (f) & (g) Major activities carried out by the participating Ministries/ Departments are as below:

| Ministry / Deptt.                         | Major activities                                                                                                                                                         |
|-------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Department of Higher Education            | Youth Festivals, Student Exchanges, Formation of EBSB Clubs, Observation of EBSB Days; Learning language of paired States, etc.                                          |
| Department of School Education & Literacy | Kala Utsav, Band Competitions, Bhasha Sangam, Ek Bharat Shreshth Bharat Parv, Learning language of paired State, Formation of EBSB Clubs, Observation of EBSB Days, etc. |
| Department of Sports                      | Zonal Championships with teams including members from paired States and documentaries on indigenous games.                                                               |

| Department of Youth Affairs              | National Integration Camps, Youth Festivals, Webinars for dissemination of information about paired States through National Service Scheme and Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, Language learning, Seminars etc.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Ministry of Culture                      | Lecture cum demonstrations, Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav, Cultural events by Zonal Cultural Centres; Compilation of information about World Heritage sites and other important monuments for dissemination by Archaeological Survey of India; Five books translated and published in the language of paired state by Sahitya Akademi.                                                                                                                        |
| Ministry of Tourism                      | Bharat Parv, Dekho Apna Desh webinars by the Ministry; School Awareness Activities and Tourism Stake Holders workshops by Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management; Culinary festivals, Cultural programmes, Food exhibition, Business to Business meeting of tourism service providers, Cultural programmes by India Tourism Offices; Cuisine showcasing, Food festivals, Nukkad natak, City tours by Central Institutes of Hotel Management, etc. |
| Ministry of Information and Broadcasting | Press releases, Webinars, Special programmes on EBSB, Exhibitions, Media Coverage/ Broadcasts through Press Information Bureau, Bureau of Outreach & Communication, All India Radio and Doordarshan, Weekly programmes on EBSB by DD News, etc.                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
| Ministry of Defence                      | Learning language of paired State, Translation of songs, Pledge in the language of paired State by Sainik Schools, etc.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| Ministry of Railways                     | Display of EBSB logo, Posters displayed and theme songs; Clips played at railway stations; Travel concession to EBSB participants, etc.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| Ministry of Home Affairs                 | Band shows, Cultural programmes, Nukkad nataks, Food festivals, Learning language of paired State through Central Armed Paramilitary Forces, etc.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |

The activities of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat programme are being held through virtual platform during the present Covid-19 pandemic. The Ministries / Departments are holding Webinars/ online events. A Digital Repository has been developed on EBSB Portal for all online/ digital material developed by participating Ministries. 'Aaj Ka Vakya', a language learning initiative in which a sentence is shared everyday in 21 Indian languages, is being run through EBSB Portal and social media of Ministry of Education and the websites of participating Ministries. A 'Recipe Corner' has also been launched where people can share recipes of their regions. Ministry of Tourism is conducting Dekho Apna Desh webinars. Department of Sports is streaming documentaries of Indigenous games. More details about the programme and activities conducted are available at https://ekbharat.gov.in/.