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Budget
Speech 2002 - 2003
LITERACY
AND TECHNIRACY
85.
We have identified certain key interventions necessary to upgrade the
elementary and school education system in the State. These include
implementation of early childhood enrolment through special drives to ensure
complete enrolment of all children, checking mid-way dropouts, qualitative
upgradation of curriculum, improvement in physical infrastructure, teacher
training and motivation, minimum levels of learning and greater involvement of
parents in management of schools.
86.
The ‘Education Guarantee Scheme’ involving the opening of 252
educational centres in specific habitations in
17 districts will be implemented in the next financial year. It is estimated
that more than 6000 children will be benefited under this scheme. Another
scheme, ‘Alternative and Innovative Education’ aimed at reducing dropouts by
establishing 1622 educational centres across 21 districts will also be
implemented. This scheme is likely to benefit 61,305 children across the State.
87.
As
announced in the Governor's Address, Vocational Training Schools will be started
in all the districts next year.
A provision of Rs.1 crore is being made in the Budget initially for 2002-2003.
The School Education department will prepare a detailed project proposal to
assess the infrastructural support necessary for these institutions and also
work out the modalities for financing them over the next four years.
88.
The Government proposes to establish a ‘Garden of Peace’ on the
outskirts of Chennai city depicting communal, cultural and religious harmony in
the State. A token provision of Rs.50 lakhs has been made in the Budget for this
purpose and the work is likely to begin by mid-2002 after finalization of design
and location of this monument.
89.
Tamil Nadu boasts of a rich cultural diversity, which needs to be
protected and conserved. The Government has earmarked a sum of Rs.4 crores for
various schemes to be implemented for heritage protection in the State.
90.
Socio-economic empowerment of women through provision of opportunities
for education, self-employment and training will receive the special attention
of the Government during the next financial year. The unique 'Cradle Baby
Scheme' has received wide acclaim across the country. We will intensify our
multi-pronged campaign against the evil practice of female infanticide.
Similarly, the vastly improved, ‘Girl Child Protection Scheme’, will be
implemented with renewed vigour and an allocation of Rs.22.07 crores has been
made for this purpose. The programme for training women in different avenues of
self-employment will be further strengthened in the next financial year.
91.
Honourable Members will be pleased to know that nearly 1.02 lakh
self-help groups benefiting more than 17.5 lakh women have emerged as important
sources of cheap credit and savings amongst beneficiaries. This
Government will give a fillip to the process by forming federations of such
self-help groups at the level of every Block in the State.
92.
The Government will formulate a comprehensive policy for women's
development in all Government and private initiatives. Gender-equity will be
encouraged by empowering women and enabling them to participate in the decision
making process on an equal footing. The Government has decided to constitute
two Magalir Courts, one at Chennai and the other at Coimbatore, to deal
exclusively with offences against women during the next financial year.
93.
Socio-economic development of the people belonging to the Adi-Dravida and
tribal communities is one of the main priorities of the Government. We have kept
our promise of providing free education up to the post-graduate level in
Government institutions for girls from these communities. The scheme for providing free bicycles
to girls studying in plus one and plus two in Government schools belonging to
the Adi-Dravida and tribal communities will be continued in the next financial
year with an allocation of Rs.6 crores. An amount of Rs.45.05 crores will be spent for the construction of
hostels for students belonging to these communities.
94.
The review of the implementation of the Special Component Plan and Tribal
Sub Plan for the welfare of the Adi-Dravidas and tribals reveals discrepancies
in the actual allocation of resources for the welfare of people belonging to
these communities.
A
High Level Committee has been formed to prioritize schemes based on specific
requirements of the Adi-Dravidas and Tribals under the Special Component Plan
and Tribal Sub Plan.
95.
TAHDCO is being revamped in order to make it more responsive to the needs
of the people from Adi-Dravida and Tribal communities. There will be a special
focus on employment generation and job-oriented training schemes for those
living below the poverty line.
96.
The Government will keep up its endeavours to ensure educational and
economic empowerment of people belonging to the Backward Classes, Most Backward
Classes, Denotified Communities and the Minorities. The functioning of the Tamil
Nadu Backward Classes Economic Development Corporation will be further
streamlined to enable quick availability of cheap credit for increasing avenues
of self-employment for people belonging to these communities.
97.
The State Government has taken up an extensive programme of constructing
hostels for students belonging to these communities at a total cost of Rs. 36.99
crores. The Government has also taken up a special programme for providing basic
infrastructural facilities like streetlights, drainage, water supply etc., at
places where house-site pattas have been issued to people belonging to these
communities and this will be continued in the next financial year.
98.
As announced in the Governor's address, a token provision of Rs.50 lakhs
has been made in the Budget for the next financial year for the establishment of
the Thiruvalluvar University at Vellore for the benefit of the depressed
sections of society.
99.
Honourable Members may recall that Hon'ble Chief Minister Selvi J
Jayalalithaa had sanctioned a grant of Rs.1 crore in 1994 to the Wakf Board.
This year Rs.40 lakhs has been sanctioned to the Board for constructing
its own office building. This
Government now proposes to amend the Public Premises Act to include the Wakf
properties within its ambit and also bring about suitable State amendments to
the Wakf Act, 1995, on the lines of the HR&CE Act for improving the
financial position of the Wakf Board and to give greater teeth to the provisions
relating to eviction of unauthorized occupants.
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