14. The National Council of Rural Institutes

The National Policy on Education 1986 stated "the new pattern of Rural University will be consolidated and developed on the lines of Mahatma Gandhi's revolutionary ideas on education so as to take up the challenges of micro-planning at grass roots level for the transformation of rural areas. Institutions and programmes of Gandhian basic education will be supported."

The policy has been reiterated in 1992, which implies that educational institutions and voluntary agencies which take-up educational programmes based

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on the concept of integral correlation between socially useful productive work, social service and academic study will be encouraged.

The scheme on Rural University/Institutes could not be implemented during VII Plan period, as it was deferred to VIII Plan on the advice of the Ministry of Finance. However, the programme of Action presented to the Parliament unequivocally stated that the National Council of Rural Institutes is to be set up shortly.

Memorandum of Association & Rules have been approved. There is an allocation of Rs. 6.35 crores for the scheme during the VIII Plan period. Outlay of Rs.5.00 crores is proposed for the scheme for 1997- 98 and Rs.20.00 crores for the Ninth Plan.

15. Commonwealth of Learning (COL)

Prof G. Ram Reddy Committee report has recommended that Government of India may agree to contribute as it has done earlier one million pounds to COL but 50% of this amount should be spent in India by COL for strengthening distance education system. The report is tinder consideration in this Ministry.

It is estimated that a sum of Rs. 5.00 crores would be required to meet the expenditure on the second pledge. As COL was facing a severe cash flow problem, Rs. 1.00 crore was released during 1994-95 on ad-hoc basis. Of this, Rs.98.50 lakhs was remitted and unspent balance was deposited into the Govt. Account.

For the Annual Plan an outlay of Rs. 1.00 crore is proposed. Outlay for the Ninth Plan is proposed at Rs. 5.00 crores.

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