MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRI KAPIL SIBAL)
(a) to (f): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (f) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 480 FOR 09.05.2012 ASKED BY DR. NARAMALLI SIVA PRASAD REGARDING NGOs IN LITERACY MISSION
(a) : Saakshar Bharat and 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 during the last three years is at Annexure. No funds have so far been released in the current financial year (2012-13).
(b): 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. Besides continuing their mandated role of providing academic support to the States for literacy programmes through 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. Jan Shikshan Sansthans provided vocational training to 19,45,479 persons. Saakshar Bharat Yatra organized by Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samiti covered over 15000 Gram Panchayats in 187 Districts in 22 States of the country.
(c): Evaluation of the NGOs involved in the two schemes 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 to develop capacity building of staff; adequate infrastructure needs to be available to carry out assigned roles; and their activities 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) Development of a web-based Monitoring and Information System;
(ii) On line submission of Annual Action Plan
(iii) Standardization of curriculum of vocational courses and certification;
(iv) Conduct of market surveys to identify the vocations relevant to their clientele;
(v) Introduction of an institutionalized mechanism of standardized accounting system and regular performance audit; and
(vi) 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 resorts to appropriate action including stoppage of grant or even cancellation of allotment of concerned institutions.
