Lok Sabha Question No. 157 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-11-29
Subject: New Schools in Rural and Semi-rural Areas
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Nishikant  Dubey

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 157 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.11.2021

## New Schools in Rural and Semi-rural Areas

157. DR. NISHIKANT DUBEY:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to set up new schools in rural/semi-rural areas under various schemes during the next three years;
- (b) if so, the number of schools proposed to be set up, State and year-wise;
- (c) the details of the targets, if any, fixed by the Government in this regard; and
- (d)  the  action  plan  prepared  by  the  Government  to  achieve  the  targets  fixed  in  this regard?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF EDUCATION (SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)

- (a)  to  (d):  As  per  the  provisions  of  the  Right  of  Children  to  Free  and  Compulsory Education  (RTE)  Act,  2009  it  is  the  duty  of  the  respective  State  and  Union  Territory Government which is the appropriate Government under the RTE Act to provide free and  compulsory  elementary  education  to  every  child  of  the  age  6  to  14  years  in  a neighbourhood school. In pursuance of Section 6 of the RTE Act, the respective State and Union Territory (UT) Government have notified areas or limits of their neighbourhood  norms  in  their  State  RTE  Rules,  factoring  in  their  State  specific condition, for opening of schools.

The  Central  Government,  through  integrated  centrally  sponsored  scheme  of Samagra Shiksha provides support to the States and UTs for implementing the various provisions  of  the  RTE  Act,  including  opening/  strengthening  of  schools  as  per  gaps identified from school mapping. Under erstwhile Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), till 201718 and Samagra Shiksha effective from 2018-19, sanction has been given for 3.64 lakh new elementary schools out of which States and UTs have reported the opening of3.60

lakh schools. Under erstwhile Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA), till 201718 and Samagra Shiksha effective from 2018-19, 13093 new secondary schools have been sanctioned, out of  which  States  and  UTs  have  reported  opening  of  12652  new schools, till 31.10.2021. Proposals  for  opening  of  new  Kendriya  Vidyalayas  are  considered  only  when received in the prescribed proforma from the District Administration through the State Government concerned. The proposals received from various sponsoring authorities for opening  of  new  Kendriya  Vidyalayas  also  have  to  compete  among  other  proposals under the 'Challenge Method'. The  Navodaya  Vidyalaya  Scheme  provides for opening of one  Jawahar Navodaya  Vidyalaya  (JNV)  in  each  district  of  the  country  for  providing  good  quality education  to  children  predominantly  from  the  rural  areas.  Opening  of  new  JNVs  is  a continuous process which depends on the availability of suitable land by the concerned State  Government  free  of  cost  for  construction  of  school  buildings  and  the  required temporary accommodation (free of rent) to start the Vidyalaya. However, actual sanction and  opening  of  the  JNV  depends  on  the  availability  of  funds  and  approval  by  the Competent Authority.

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