Lok Sabha Question No. 1928 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-13
Subject: Internet Connection and Computer Labs in Schools in Maharashtra
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Sunil Dattatray Tatkare

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

## DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION AND LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1928

ANSWERED ON 13/03/2023

## Internet Connection and Computer Labs in Schools in Maharashtra

1928. SHRI SUNIL DATTATRAY TATKARE:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of schools having internet connection along with schools equipped with computer labs with adequate seating capacity in the State of Maharashtra;
- (b)  the  details  of  funds  allocated  during  each  of  the  last  three  years  to  Maharashtra  for  this purpose;
- (c)  whether  the  Union  Government  has  received  request  from  the  State  Government  of Maharashtra to help them to cover more and more schools with internet connectivity; and (d) if so, the response of the Union Government thereto?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (SHRIMATI ANNPURNA DEVI)

(a) & (b) : As per UDISE+  2021-22,  there are 18540 Govt. schools having Internet Connection. The details of the  schools  having  computer  labs/smart  class  rooms  along  with  the details of funds allocated during the last 3 years to the State of Maharashtra is as under:-

(Rs. in Crore)

|         | ICT Labs   | ICT Labs   | Smart Class Rooms   | Smart Class Rooms   |
|---------|------------|------------|---------------------|---------------------|
| Year    | Approval   | Financial  | Approval            | Financial           |
| 2020-21 | -          | 35.0*      | -                   | -                   |
| 2021-22 | -          | -          | 887                 | 21.28               |
| 2022-23 | -          | -          | 2405                | 57.72               |

Source: Prabandh

(c) & (d): Education is in the concurrent list of the Constitution and majority of the schools are under domain of respective State and UT Government. Department of School Education and Literacy  has  launched  the  Samagra  Shiksha-  an  Integrated  Scheme  for  School  Education  from 2018-19.  It  envisages  the  'school'  as  a  continuum  from  pre-school,  primary,  upper  primary, secondary to Senior Secondary levels. It is an overarching programme for the school education sector extending from pre-school to class XII and aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education at all levels of school education. Samagra Shiksha is implemented in partnership with all  the  States  and  UTs  and  financial  assistance  is  provided  to  all  States  and  UTs  for  various components including strengthening of ICT infrastructure in schools.

Under Samagra Shiksha, ICT component envisages covering all Government and Aided schools from classes VI to XII, subject to the availability of budgetary provision.

## A. Options under ICT:

Option I: Under this option schools which have not availed the ICT facility earlier can either opt  for  ICT  or  smart  classrooms  as  per  their  requirement  and  need.  In  case  of  more  than  700 enrolment, an additional ICT lab can also be considered.

Option II: Under this option schools which have already availed the ICT facility earlier can avail smart classrooms/tablets as per the norms of the scheme.

## B. Financial Provisions:

ICT Lab: Onetime non-recurring grant upto Rs 6.40 lakh per school and a recurring grant of upto Rs. 2.40 lakh per school per annum for a period of 5 years.

Smart Classrooms: Onetime Non-recurring grant of Rs. 2.40 lakh and the recurring grant of Rs. 0.38 lakh for a period of 5 years.

BSNL has informed that, the Department of Telecom has given responsibility to BSNL to improve  the  rural  connectivity  using  Bharat  Net  Assets  and  BSNL  is  taking  steps  for  further extending its services across one lakh forty thousand plus Gram Panchayats in the country. On 11.07.2022,  DoSEL  has  issued  an  advisory  to  all  the  States  and  UTs  to  enter  into  an  MoU/ Agreement with BSNL  and provide FTTH  Internet  connection  to  all  the  Govt.  Schools  which have computing devices.