Lok Sabha Question No. 65 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-22
Subject: Lack of Education in Nearby areas of Pakistan Border of the  Country
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri Sher Singh Ghubaya

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION AND LITERACY

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 65

ANSWERED ON- 22/07/2024

## Lack of Education in Nearby areas of Pakistan Border of the Country

†65. SHRI SHER SINGH GHUBAYA:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state-

- (a) whether the Government is aware that there is complete lack of education in the areas  close  to  the  Pakistan  border  due  to  which  the  local  people  are  remaining illiterates and are becoming victims of drug abuse;
- (b) if so, whether the Government proposes to set up schools in the above-mentioned areas;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (d) the details of the education policy of the Government in respect of the border areas along with the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)

- (a)  to (d): Education is in the concurrent list of the Constitution and majority of the schools are under the domain of respective State and UT Government. State and UT Governments are the appropriate Governments under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, and have the responsibility and mandate to  provide  school  infrastructure  including  new  schools,  drinking  water  and  toilet facilities in schools in accordance with the norms laid down in the Schedule to the RTE Act, 2009.

The need for schools and also the infrastructural facilities in schools are worked out every year by the respective State/UT on incremental basis depending on their need and priority and reflected in their Annual Work plan & Budget (AWP&B). These plans  are  then  appraised  and  approved/estimated  by  the  Project  Approval  Board (PAB) in the Department of School Education and Literacy in consultation with the States and UTs.

Samagra Shiksha focuses on improvement in quality of education by providing support for different interventions to all States and UTs, like composite school grant to every school for providing a conducive learning environment, grants for library, sports and  physical  activities,  support  for  Rashtriya  Avishkar  Abhiyan,  ICT  and  digital for

initiatives, School  Leadership  development  programme,  remedial  teaching academically weaker students, support for library and sports grant, etc. The integrated  scheme  of  Samagra  has  also  been  aligned  with  NEP  2020. National Education Policy, 2020 focuses on improving the quality of education through various measures such as introduction of new pedagogical and curricular structure, Early  Childhood  Care  and  Education,  Foundational  Literacy  and  Numeracy  and Transforming Assessment for Student Development, Experiential and Competency based Learning, etc.

To improve the quality of education at elementary level, provisions like free uniforms and text books to eligible students has been made for reducing sense of economic  disparities  among  students  and  focusing  on  improving  their  learning outcomes.  For  2024-25,  an  amount  of  Rs.  4731.98  crore  has  been  approved  for providing free uniform to 8.04 crore eligible students. During 2024-25, an amount of Rs.  3049.89  crore  has  been  approved  for  providing  free  text  books  to  9.84  crore children.

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