MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (DR. SHASHI THAROOR)
(a) The Saakshar Bharat Scheme and the Scheme for Support to Voluntary Agencies for Adult Education and
Skill Development are the two schemes implemented by the National Literacy Mission Authority. The State-wise/
year-wise details of the financial assistance provided to NGOs under these schemes during the last three years
and the current year are annexed.
(b) The State Resource Centre and Jan Shikshan Sansthan are the two major components of the Scheme of Support
to Voluntary Agencies for Adult Education and Skill Development. During 2010-2013 and 2013-14, besides continuing
their mandated role of providing academic support to the States for literacy programmes through the preparation of
teaching learning/training material, training of literacy functionaries etc, the State Resource Centres undertook
various other activities including orientation and capacity building of Saakshar Bharat functionaries and
facilitating implementation of Saakshar Bharat. The Jan Shikshan Sansthans have provided vocational training
to 18.56 lakh persons. The Saakshar Bharat Yatra organized by the Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samiti covered over 15000
Gram Panchayats in 187 Districts in 22 States of the country.
(c) The evaluation of the NGOs involved in the scheme is undertaken periodically by the National Literacy
Mission Authority, internally as well as through external agencies.
(d) The reviews have shown that the system of monitoring of performances requires further strengthening;
financial norms need to be adhered to scrupulously; there is a need for capacity building of staff; adequate
infrastructure needs to be made available to carry out assigned roles; and the activities of NGOs need to be
demand-led and relevant to the core beneficiaries of the scheme. Important remedial measures aimed at further
improving the implementation of the Scheme include: (i) the development of a web-based Monitoring and
Information System; (ii) on-line submission of Annual Action Plans; (iii) the standardization of curriculum
of vocational courses and certification; (iv) conduct of market surveys to identify the vocations relevant to
their clientele; (v) the introduction of an institutionalized mechanism of standardized accounting system
and regular performance audit; and (vi) the inclusion of vocations which are relevant to the Scheme’s
clientele.
(e)&(f) Whenever instances of omission or commission come to the notice of the National Literacy Mission
Authority, it takes appropriate action, including stoppage of grant or even cancellation of allotments to the
concerned institutions.
