Question : EDUCATIONALLY BACKWARD AREAS

(a) the criteria adopted by Government for selection of educationally backward blocks in the country;

(b) whether lower gender gap blocks have not been selected despite girls in such block are educationally backward;

(c) if so, the justification for not including such blocks which are totally educationally backward:

(d) whether the Government has taken any decision to provide cent per cent grant for educationally backward States;

(e) if so, the details thereof; and

(f) the progress made so far by the Government in this regard?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SMT. D. PURANDESWARI)

(a) to (f) The criteria for identification of Educationally Backward Blocks (EBBs) was drawn up for new schemes to promote girls education namely: the National Programme for Education of Girls at Elementary Level (NPEGEL) and Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyaiaya (KGBV) scheme.

The criteria for EBBs is blocks where the female rural literacy is below the national average and the gender gap in literacy is above the national average. The rationale is to prioritize blocks where gender discrimination is more. The funding pattern of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, the NPEGEL and KGBV programmes, is 75:25 between the Centre and the States during the Tenth Five Year Plan.