Schemes
GIRLS HOSTEL
Introduction
Launched in 2008-09, this is a new centrally sponsored scheme that is being implemented from 2009-10 to set up a 100 bedded girl’s hostel in each of the 3479 Educationally Backward Blocks (EBBs) of the country. This scheme has replaced the earlier NGO driven scheme for construction and running of girls’ hostels for students of secondary and higher secondary schools, under which assistance was provided to voluntary organizations for running such hostels.
Female students within the age group of 14-18 years, studying in classes IX to XII, belonging to SC, ST, OBC, minority communities and BPL families form the target group of the scheme. Students passing out of KGBV are given preference for admission in hostels and at least 50% of the girls admitted are from SC, ST, OBC and minority communities.
Objective
- To retain girl children in secondary school so that they are not denied the opportunity to continue with their study due to distance from schools, parents’ financial affordability and other correlated societal factors.
- To make secondary and senior secondary education accessible to a larger number of female students.
Previously the admissible unit cost for construction of a 100 bedded hostel including boundary wall, boring hand-pump, electricity, furniture and other equipments etc. was fixed at Rs. 42.5 lakhs. However, during the process of appraisal, most of the state governments expressed their reservation regarding the inadequate cost norms and requested for a hike, preferably based on State Schedule of Rates (SOR). Following this, the matter was carefully addressed in the Ministry and a proposal was made to revise the construction cost under the Girl’s Hostel scheme as per the State Schedule Rates.
To convene the EFC meeting, an EFC proposal to revise some norms of Girls’ Hostel Scheme including the cost norms for construction of hostels was sent to the Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure, through IFD in March 2011. Ministry of Finance vide their O.M. dated 30-5-2011 conveyed its concurrence to the usage of the State Schedule of Rates for construction of hostels, including those already sanctioned in 2009-10 and 2010-11 as per the specific detailed norms for a 100 bedded hostel.
Project Approval Board
A Project Approval Board headed by the Secretary, School Education & Literacy, MHRD examines the proposals received from various states/UT governments. The committee includes, Joint Secretary (Secondary Education), JS and FA, Ministry of Human Resource Development, representatives from Planning Commission, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Women and Child Development and National Commission for Women, besides representatives of states/UT governments.
Implementing Agency
This scheme is being implemented by the state government societies established for the sole purpose of doing so. The central government’s share of 90% is released to the state governments, who in turn release it to the implementing agencies. The applicable state share of 10% is directly released to the agencies by the respective state governments.