The Government of India launched Samagra Shiksha- an Integrated Scheme for school education, w.e.f. 2018-19, as an overarching programme for the school education sector extending from pre-school to class XII, which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education at all levels of school education, across the country including the rural areas. The scheme provides support to States and UTs for strengthening of infrastructure in schools, universal access, bringing gender equality, promoting inclusive education, quality of education, financial support for teachers’ salary, digital initiatives, implementation of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, provision of free uniforms and textbooks, pre-school education, vocational education, sports and physical education, setting up and running of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas and strengthening of teacher education institutions. Under Samagra Shiksha, an estimate of Rs.1173.37 crore has been approved for various interventions in Punjab during 2021-22.
Under PM POSHAN Scheme, noon meal is provided to students at the elementary level to enhance enrolment, retention and attendance and simultaneously improve their nutritional levels.
Under National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme scholarship is awarded to meritorious students of economically weaker sections of classes IX-XII to prevent their dropout and encourage them to continue to study at the secondary stage.
Further, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) are set up with the objective of providing good quality modern education to the talented children predominantly from rural areas. Around 75% seats are filled by the candidates selected from rural areas.
The information was given by the Minister of State for Education, Smt. Annpurna Devi in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.
