 BUDGET EXPENDITURE (ACTUAL) ON
 EDUCATION BY EDUCATION AND OTHER
 DEPARTMENTS, 1984-85.

6.1.0 Though Education is conventionally treated as a developmental sector, the Eighth Finance Commission considered it as a non-developmental sector which deserved to be upgraded. For the purpose of upgradation, physical norms were followed by that Commission.

6.290 The State Governments gave requests to the Eighth Finance Commission aggregating to nearly Rs. 4000 crores - for appointment of additional teachers, provision of furniture and equipment, construction of buildings, provision of mid-day meals etc. The then Ministry of Education also emphasized the need for clearing the backlog of pucca buildings for primary and middle schools, Conversion of single teacher schools into two-teacher schools, provision of adequate inspecting staff and administration facilities. The Ministry also assessed the financial requirements for this purpose as over Rs. 3000 crores. The Eighth Finance Commission disposed of the matter as follows:

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" It seems to us that lack of pucca buildings for the primary schools and the existence of single-teacher primary schools constitute two basic weaknesses in the education system. Presently, 1,85,666 primary schools accounting for 40,88 per cent of total number of primary schools in all the 22 States are functioning in thatched huts, tents, etc. We have decided that the States in which the percentage of primary schools without pucca buildings exceeds 40 per cent, should be helped with upgradation outlays to bring down the percentage of such primary schools to the all-India average, i.e. 40 per cent. We have assumed a unit cost of Rs. 40,000 for a school building of two classrooms. We have added 30 per cent to the unit cost for the hill States. We have thus allocated Rs. 164.39 crores; for the construction of 38,946 additional school buildings in 11 States to bring them to the all-India average of 60 per cent building satisfaction in respect of primary schools.

" Another facet of the education sector, which caused us concern, was the preponderance of single-teacher primary schools in some States. Out of the 4,54,213 primary schools in the 22 States, 1,65,848 schools function as single-teacher schools. Thus, they form 36.5 per cent of the total number of primary schools. We have decided to extend our support to

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those States where the proportion of single-teacher schools exceeds 35 per cent, which is the all-India average. The States wherein the proportion of single-teacher primary schools exceeds 35 per cent are Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Mahrashtra, Meghalaya, Orissa, Rajasthan and Tripura. We have provided outlays for the appointment of 45,255 additional teachers to bring these States to the all-India level. In the computation of upgradation outlays, we, have adopted State specific emolument levels for each of the 11 States. We have thus provided Rs.1,22.01 crores. With this provision, it should be possible to raise the number-of primary schools with two teachers or more, in the 11 States, to 65 per cent, which is the all-India average. We have provided a total sum of Rs.286.40 crores for upgradation of the education sector."

6.3.1 The upgradation grants were also to be monitored, as per the recommendation of the Eight Finance Commission. The monitoring mechanisms suggested were State-level and Central level empowered committees of inter-departmental/inter-Ministerial nature, the former headed by Chief Secretaries of States and the latter being convened by the Finance Ministry. The Central level Empowered Committee was also given flexibility in terms of transfer of grants from one scheme to another within each sector,

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alter physical targets depending upon escalation in prices or alterations in physical norms etc. Release of monies was designed to be 10% as initial on account advance; 30% after receipt of intimation regarding institutional arrangements; and the balance according to actual physical progress.

6.3.2 Upgradation assistance provided to the State Governments as per the recommendations of the VIII Finance Commission has been confined to the four years commencing from 1985-86. A detailed statement of release of assistance to the State Governments for upgradation - in terms of provision of school buildings and teacher may be seen at Annexure-5. A summary of release of assistance is furnished in the table below:

BUDGET EXPENDITURE (ACTUAL) ON EDUCATION BY EDUCATION AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS, 1984-85.