Question : SARVA SHIKSHA ABHIYAN

(a) whether the Government has taken any steps for achieving the target of hundred per cent literacy in the country;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) the progress made under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan in the country as on date State-wise;

(d) the details of the amount allocated and spent on Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan during the last four years and the current year, State-wise and year-wise;

(e) whether any review of the scheme has been carried out;

(f) if so, the findings of the same including Bihar;

(g) whether the Government is planning to use bio-metric (Finger Print System) to mark the attendance of the students and teachers under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan;and

(h) if so, the details and reasons therefor?

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

(a) & (b): The National Literacy Mission provides functional literacy to adult illiterate persons in the 15-35 age group. There has been an overall increase of 12.63 % in the literacy rate in the 1991-2001 decade. In respect of female literacy the growth has been 14.38%. SC and ST literacy has increased by over 17%. There has also been significant enhancement in investments for elementary education and achievement of universal elementary education will arrest further influx into the pool of adult illiterates, and thus improve the literacy rate for the country.

(c): The State-wise progress made under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan in the country is given in Annexure-I

(d): Statement detailing SSA funds allocated during the last four years and the current year is given in Annexure-II.

(e) & (f): The SSA programme is reviewed through a Joint Review Mission (JRM) on six monthly basis. The 9th JRM broadly found out that the pace of progress has increased significantly in Bihar State.

(g) & (h): There is no such proposal. The Central Government has not proposed any biometric system of attendance under SSA.