(a) the details of Ashram Schools functioning in Tribal Sub Plan areas, State/UT-wise including Madhya Pradesh/Kerala;
(b) the criteria adopted and the steps taken by the Government for setting up Ashram Schools in such areas; and
(c) the details of new such Schools proposed to be constructed and the amount allocated for the purpose to each state including Madhya Pradesh and Kerala?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS
(SHRI JASWANTSINH BHABHOR)
(a): The State/UT-wise details of Ashram Schools functioning in Tribal Sub-Plan areas including Madhya Pradesh/Kerala is at Annexure.
(b) & (c): The objective of the scheme “Establishment of Ashram Schools in Tribal Sub-Plan Areas” is to provide residential schools for STs in an environment conducive to learning to increase the literacy rate among the tribal students and to bring them at par with other population of the country. Under the scheme, State Governments are eligible for 100% central share for construction of all Girls’ Ashram Schools and also for construction of Boys’ Ashram Schools in naxal affected areas (identified by Ministry of Home Affairs from time to time). The funding pattern for the other Boys’ Ashram Schools is on 50:50 basis, while 100% assistance is given to UTs for construction of both Girls and Boys’ Ashram Schools. The scheme covers primary, middle, secondary and senior secondary level of education. State Government is responsible for formulation of proposal for setting up Ashram School as also running and maintenance of these schools. Ministry of Tribal Affairs provides construction cost. It has, however, been decided to subsume the intervention in the scheme of ‘Special Central Assistance to Tribal Sub-Scheme (SCA to TSS)’ from 2018-19 onwards. The Scheme ‘SCA to TSS’ is demand driven. Under the scheme SCA to TSS, proposal received from the State Government for funding is appraised and approved by the Project Appraisal Committee (PAC) in the Ministry chaired by Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, with representatives of State Governments, Financial Advisor, NITI Aayog, etc. During the year 2017-18, no such proposal for setting up Ashram Schools has been submitted by the State Governments including Government of Madhya Pradesh and Kerala.
****
Annexure
Annexure referred to in reply to part (a) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3741 for answer on 19.03.2018.
State-wise functional Ashram Schools funded by Ministry are as under:
S. No. States Functional
1. Andhra Pradesh 131
2. Assam 2
3. Chhattisgarh 108
4. Goa 1
5. Gujarat 163
6. Jharkhand 3
7. Karnataka 28
8. Maharashtra 90
9. Sikkim 2
10. Tripura 29
11. Telangana 80
12. Kerala 11
13. Madhya Pradesh 373
14. Odisha 63
15. Uttarakhand 10
16. UP 5
Total 1099