NATIONAL GREEN CORPS (Eco-club)
MoEFCC embarked upon a major initiative for creating environmental awareness among
children by formulating National Green Corps (NGC) in 2001-02. NGC Programme aims
at building cadres of young children working towards environmental conservation
and sustainable development.
Operated through Eco-clubs set up in schools registered as members of NGC, this
programme exposes school children to in-depth field experiences, and provides opportunities
to convert their ideas into creative action. This programme seeks to redirect the
consciousness of students towards environment friendly attitudes and actions and
goes beyond schools, promoting school-society interactions to sensitize the society.
The phenomenal response that NGC has received has made the network more than 1,00,000
Eco clubs across the country in 16 years, making it one of the largest conservation
networks. The unique partnership between the MoEFCC, the states Government agencies
alongwith the dedicated NGOs, working in the field of Environmental Education has
contributed to the success of the programme.
The broad objectives of this programme are:
- to impart knowledge to school children, through hands on experience, about their
immediate environment, interactions within it and the problems therein
- to inculcate proper attitudes towards the environment and its conservation through
community interactions
- to sensitize children to issues related to environment and development through field
visits and demonstrations
- to motivate and stimulate young minds by involving them in action projects related
to environmental conservation.
Every recognized school, with classes up to the XIIth standard, is eligible to start
an Eco-club.
The activities of eco-clubs are coordinated and monitored through a decentralized
mechanism with the Ministry of Environment & Forests at the National level, State
Nodal Agencies at the State level, District Implementation and Monitoring Committees
(DIMCs) at the district level and the Teachers-in-Charge at the School level.
To provide regular technical inputs for preparation of resource material, training
of teachers, NGC activities, selection of schools etc., Resource Agencies have been
appointed for each State / UT. These Resource Agencies interact with the State Nodal
Agencies, the District Implementation and Monitoring Committees and the Teachers-in-charge
on regular basis.
The number of schools supported under NGC per district is 250 with annual grant
for each Eco-club being Rs.2,500/-. An additional amount of Rs. 25,000/- per district
is given for monitoring at the district level. The State Nodal Agency gets a fee
equivalent to 5% of the money released for eco-clubs and district monitoring as
administrative charges. The Resource Agencies get a fee equivalent to 3% of the
money released for eco-clubs.
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