Government has launched the National Service Scheme (NSS) in the year 1969 with the overall objective of personality development of the students through community service. It is a Central Sector Scheme under Government of India, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. It provides an opportunity to the students/youth of 11th & 12th Class of schools at +2 Board level and student youth of Technical Institutions, Graduate & Post Graduate at colleges and University level of India to take part in various government-led community service activities & programs. The Budget Allocation for National Service Scheme (NSS) during the financial year 2019-20 is Rs.160 Crore.
In Rajasthan, NSS covers 23 Universities, One +2 School Council, 607 Colleges/Technical Institutions, 773 +2 Schools. It has 2,08,000 NSS volunteers and 2084 NSS units in the State as on 31.03.2019. During the year 2018-19, NSS Units adopted 1748 villages/slums; organized 1748 Special Camps of 7-days duration in which 87,400 volunteers participated; 69,968 saplings were planted; 10572 units of blood were donated; 16,700 volunteers were involved in Pulse Polio Campaign; 49 Health/Eye/Immunization Camps and 23,838 Awareness Programmes were organized. 500 female NSS volunteers were also given training on Self-Defence.
In addition to the above, NSS volunteers undertake regular activities (Community work) i.e. 120 hours per volunteer per year (totaling to 240 hours in two years), wherein volunteers undertake activities like building social harmony, literacy, gender justice, life-skill education, disaster management, health, public sanitation, personal hygiene, environmental conservation of natural resources, preservation of cultural and historical heritage, etc.
This information was given by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Kiren Rijiju in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.
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