Question : Female Literacy

(a) the percentage of female literacy in the country as per the 2011 Census;

(b) whether the funds for the National Scheme for Incentive to Girls for Secondary Education have been reduced to just Rs. 1 crore from Rs. 110 crore in the current fiscal;

(c) if so, whether the Government has reviewed the functioning of the scheme and the amount allocated to the scheme during the last three years;

(d) the steps taken to operationalise the Gender Inclusion Fund promised in NEP 2020 along with the objectives and coverage of the scheme;

(e) the amount provided to eligible girls and the eligibility criteria during the last three years; and

(f) whether the Government is redesigning the scheme to make it more effective and if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF EDUCATION

(SHRI RAMESH POKHRIYAL ‘NISHANK’)

(a) As per Census 2011, the female literacy rate in the country, in the age group of 7 and above is 64.63%.
(b) The scheme is being redesigned based on the recommendations of Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) in the year 2017. Subsequent budget allocation was used for clearing the backlog only. Hence the budget was reduced during 2020-21.
(c) The scheme was evaluated in the year 2020-21 by Institute of Economic Growth (IEG), Delhi for reviewing the performance of the scheme and also to find out the gaps and challenges in the implementation of the existing scheme. The amount allocated for the scheme during the last three years is as follows:
Sl. No. Financial Year BE (Rs. in crore) RE (Rs. in crore) Expenditure (Rs. in crore) No. of Girls
1 2017-18 320.00 304.00 292.38 973330
2 2018-19 255.90 192.66 164.58 548396
3 2019-20 100.00 100.00 8.56 28547

(d) National Education Policy, 2020, provides for setting up a Gender Inclusion Fund (GIF) especially for girls and transgender students to build the nation’s capacity to provide equitable quality education for all girls as well as transgender students. The Department’s initiatives towards GIF and preparation of its guidelines are underway.
(e) According to the scheme, a sum of Rs.3000/- is deposited in the name of eligible unmarried girls as fixed deposit on enrolment in class IX, who are entitled to withdraw it along with interest thereon upon reaching 18 years of age and passing class 10 examination. The scheme covers (i) all girls belonging to SC/ST communities who pass class VIII and (ii) all girls who pass class VIII examination from Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (irrespective of whether they belong to SC/ ST) and enroll in class IX in State Government, Government-aided and Local Body schools.
(f) Based on recommendation of the EFC, evaluation of the scheme was carried out through the Institute of Economic Growth (IEG), Delhi for the purpose of re-designing.
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