Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya Scheme
Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalya (KGBV) scheme was launched in July 2004, for setting up residential schools at appear primary level for girls belonging predominantly to the SC, ST,OBC and minority communities. The scheme is being implemented in Educationally Backward Blocks (EBBs) of the country where the female rural literacy is below the national average and gender gap in literacy is above the national average. The scheme provides minimum reservation of 75 per cent of the seats for girls belonging to SC, ST communities and priority for the remaining 25 per cent, is accorded to girls from families below poverty line. The Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidylaya scheme was merged with Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan in the XIth Plan with effect from 1st April, 2008.
The scheme is not being implemented in the States and UTs of Andaman & Nicobar, Chandigarh, Delhi, Daman & Diu, Goa, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Puducherry and Sikkim as no blocks in these states and UTs fall under the category of EBB. The criteria of eligible blocks had been revised with effect from 1st April, 2008 to include an additional 304 educationally backward blocks with rural female literacy below 30 per cent and 94 Towns/cities having minority concentration with female literacy rate below the national average (53.67%: Census 2001).
This information was given by the Minister of State for Human Resource Development, Smt. D. Purandeswari, in written reply to a question, in the Rajya Sabha today.
MV/SKS/Hb