(a) whether the funds are provided to educationally backward States in the country for construction of libraries, laboratories, toilets, sports grounds and classrooms under the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan and if so, the amount of fund allocated during the current year’s budget , State/UT-wise; and
(b) whether it is a fact that the funds provided to Government schools of the country for maintenance of toilets are inadequate and if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
(DR. SATYA PAL SINGH)
(a): The Centrally Sponsored Scheme Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) was launched in March 2009. The other Centrally Sponsored Schemes viz. ICT in Schools, Girls’ Hostel, Inclusive Education for Disabled at Secondary Stage and Vocational Education implemented by the Department for secondary stage of education were subsumed during 2013-14 with RMSA. The objective of the RMSA Scheme was to enhance access and improve quality of education at secondary stage. The scheme envisages enhancing the enrolment for classes IX-X by providing a secondary school within a reasonable distance of every habitation, improving quality of education imparted at secondary level through making all secondary schools conform to prescribed norms, removal of gender, socio-economic and disability barriers, universal access to secondary level education. Under RMSA, school infrastructure like school building, additional classrooms, toilets, laboratories, libraries, arts & craft rooms, electricity, ICT, barrier free access, drinking water facilities etc. are provided.
Now, Samagra Shiksha has been launched from 2018-19 by subsuming the erstwhile schemes of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), RMSA and Teacher Education (TE). It is an overarching programme for the school education sector extending from pre-school to class XII and aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education at all levels of school education. Accordingly, the financial assistance through RMSA/Samagra Shiksha is provided to all States and UTs for all the interventions
including for school building, additional classrooms, toilets, laboratories, libraries, sports grant, arts & craft rooms, electricity, ICT, barrier free access, drinking water facilities etc.
An amount of Rs. 30891.81 crore has been allocated for Samagra Shiksha in the Budget for the Year 2018-19. The fund allocation in the Budget is not done State/UT-wise.
However, annual plans under RMSA/Samagra Shiksha are prepared by the States and UTs based on their requirements and priority encompassing all interventions and this is reflected in their respective Annual Work Plan and Budget (AWP&B). These plans are then appraised and approved/estimated in consultation with the States and UTs as per the programmatic and financial norms of the scheme and availability of budgetary resources.
(b) Under the Samagra Shiksha, assistance is also provided to States and UTs as an annual recurring school composite grant varying from Rs. 25,000/- to Rs. 1,00,000/- per annum depending upon the number of students, for all government schools. Each school is required to spend at least 10% of the composite school grant on activities including for maintenance of toilets related to Swachhata Action Plan. The statement showing details of funds estimated for Swachhata Action Plan (SAP) related activities under Samagra Shiksha during 2018-19 is given at Annexure-I