Will the Minister of Electronics and Information Technology be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government is aware of the fact that digital literacy among tribal youths is very low;
(b) if so, whether Government is considering to launch any scheme for speeding digital literacy among tribal population; and
(c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?
(a) to (c): 1. As per National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) 71st Round report on social consumption relating to education, the proportion of households in the country having computer during 2014 is around 14% (only 6% of rural households and 29% of urban households possessed computer). This highlights that more than 15 crore rural households (@ 94% of 16.85 crore households) do not have computers and a significant number of these households are likely to be digitally illiterate. No specific data on tribal youth is indicated in the said NSSO report.
2. Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) is implementing several programmes which have benefitted the tribal population. Some of these programmes are given below:
(i) The Government of India has implemented two Schemes on providing digital literacy to the masses namely “National Digital Literacy Mission (NDLM)” and “Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (DISHA)” with a cumulative target of 52.50 lakh persons (one person from every eligible household) across the country. The targets envisaged under NDLM and DISHA schemes have been successfully achieved in December 2016. A total number of 7,17,412 tribal candidates were certified under NDLM / DISHA schemes.
(ii) The Government has approved a scheme titled “Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA)” to usher in digital literacy in rural India by covering 6 crore rural households (one person per household) by 31.03.2019. The scheme is specifically targeting the rural population especially the marginalized sections of society including Scheduled Tribes. Under this scheme, the states/UTs with major concentration of tribal population would have a total target of around 20 lakh beneficiaries. So far, under this scheme, total ST candidates enrolled are 7,91,913 out of which 7,66,926 were trained and 3,27,235 were certified.
(iii) Under the two Schemes for Skill Development in Electronic System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM), so far, a total of 14,981 Scheduled Tribe candidates have been enrolled and trained , out of which 8,416 candidates have been certified as on December, 2017.
(iv) National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) is an autonomous body of MeitY. NIELIT Centres are implementing various projects / schemes for the upliftment of ST population in the area of Information Technology and Electronics. Under Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP), the ST candidates are being trained free of cost at NIELIT Centres across the country. Some of these projects are as under:-
a) A project entitled “Empowering underprivileged (ST) youths and women of four backward districts of Nagaland through ICT skills training” is approved with an objective of training 1280 Tribal youths from 4(four) backward districts of Nagaland in 150 hours ICT courses. The project also envisages setting up ICT facility in 4 backward districts of Nagaland viz. Mon, Longleng, Tuensang and Kiphire which will open avenues for youth to employ in Government and Private Sectors. Till date, a total of 452 candidates are trained and 44 candidates are undergoing training.
b) IT Skills and e-Inclusion through low cost access device based awareness programs for Scheduled Tribes of Kerala being implemented by NIELIT Calicut jointly with Amrita Vishwa Peetham, Kollam with an objective to provide training to 500 ST candidates in Diploma in Computer Application (DCA) course of 6 months. 1000 ST candidates were trained in integrated programme comprising of ACC course of NIELIT along with social awareness/ skill training or education using tablets at 15 tribal hamlets at Pallakkad (Attapadi), Idukki and Wayanad district of Kerala. As against the target of 500 ST candidates in DCA course 500 candidates have completed training out of which 340 candidates have been certified and few have been placed & others have joined higher studies. In ACC course, 1000 ST candidates have been trained and 789 ST candidates has appeared for the exam out of which 758 candidates passed and 663 candidates have been certified.
(v) Under ‘IT for Masses’ Programme which targets Women, Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes, projects are funded for providing IT training including Digital Literacy, providing IT infrastructure to girls schools, women colleges, ST schools (Eklavya, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya) and entrepreneurship creation. The following projects were implemented for Scheduled Tribes under this programme :-
a) ‘e-Inclusion: IT training for Rural Scheduled Tribe (ST), Scheduled Caste (SC) & Women Beneficiaries’- 17,147 ST candidates trained. The project is completed.
b) ‘IT Mass Literacy Programme for Scheduled Tribe (ST)’ - 4,392 ST candidates trained. The project is completed.
c) ‘Capacity building of 1,260 ST students of North Orissa University and its affiliated colleges in IT tools’ - 1,260 ST candidates trained. The project is completed.
d) ‘IT skills & e-Inclusion through low cost access devices based awareness program for Scheduled Tribes – Kerala’ - ICT infrastructure set up at 6 locations and so far, 1,283 ST candidates have been trained.
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