Scheme For Adolescent Girls – SABLA Expansion Approved by Central Govt.

Central government has expanded and universalized Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls (RGSEAG) or SABLA Scheme. This sarkari yojana will help out of school girls in the age group of 11-18 years to get appropriate nutrition & health services. SABLA Scheme is going to replace existing Nutrition Programme for Adolescent Girls (NPAG) and Kishori Shakti Yojana (KSY).

Central govt. sanctions SABLA or RGSEAG Scheme in the year 2010 and implemented this scheme in 205 districts. Afterwards in the year 2017-18, govt. expands this scheme in 303 other districts (total-508 districts). Now the central govt. has universalized this scheme in the remaining districts. Even all the districts of North Eastern (NE) Region will get included under its phase-wise expansion.

Objectives of Rajiv Gandhi Scheme For Adolescent Girls (RGSEAG)

The main objectives of Sabla Scheme or Rajiv Gandhi Scheme For Adolescent Girls (RGSEAG) are as follows:-

• Enable the AGs for self-development and empowerment
• Improve their nutrition and health status.
• Promote awareness about health, hygiene, nutrition, Adolescent Reproductive and Sexual Health (ARSH) and family and child care.
• Upgrade their home-based skills, life skills and tie up with National Skill Development Program (NSDP) for vocational skills
• Mainstream out of school AGs into formal/non formal education
• Provide information/guidance about existing public services such as PHC, CHC, Post Office, Bank, Police Station, etc.

Official Notification – Candidates can see the official notification for RGSEAG Scheme using the link given below – https://wcd.nic.in/sites/default/files/1-SABLAscheme_0.pdf

Services Under SABLA Scheme

RGSEAG is a centrally sponsored scheme implemented under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme. An integrated package of services is to be provided to AGs that would be as follows

• Nutrition provision
• Iron and Folic Acid (IFA) supplementation
• Health check-up and Referral services
• Nutrition & Health Education (NHE)
• Counseling/Guidance on family welfare, ARSH, child care practices and home management
• Life Skill Education and accessing public services
• Vocational training for girls aged 16 and above under National Skill Development Program (NSDP)

KSY & SABLA Scheme Funds Allocation

The details of the allocated funds under SABLA Scheme and KSY data is as follows:-

Financial Year	Funds Released for Scheme For Adolescent Girls (SAG)	Funds Released For Kishori Shakti Yojana (KSY)
2014-15	Rs. 61,021.36 lakh	Rs. 1489.05 lakh
2015-16	Rs. 47,040.57 lakh	Rs 545.56 lakh
2016-17	Rs. 47,700.06 lakh	Rs. 566.27 lakh
2017-18	Rs. 33,359.64 lakh	Rs. 464.71 lakh

The above mentioned data is given by Minister of State for Women and Child Development, Dr. Virendra Kumar in Rajya Sabha.

Yogi Adityanath Launches Scheme for Adolescent Girls in Uttar Pradesh

CM Yogi Adityanath has launched Scheme for Adolescent Girls (SABLA) in Uttar Pradesh in the state on 21 February 2019. The main objective of this SABLA scheme is to take care of education of girls between 11 to 14 years of age till graduation level. The UP state govt. is going to ensure proper nutrition and special assistance for those girls who have left out their studies.

UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has also decided to observe 8th of every month as Adolescent Girls Day at Anganwadi centres across the state.

Features of UP Scheme for Adolescent Girls (SABLA Scheme)

Uttar Pradesh govt. has launched Scheme for Adolescent Girls (SABLA) to take care of girl’s education who have left studies b/w 11 to 14 years of age till they complete graduation. The broad objectives of this SABLA scheme in UP are to improve the nutritional, health and development status, promote awareness of health, hygiene, nutrition and family care. Moreover, SABLA scheme would also provide them opportunities for learning life skills, going back to schools, help them in gaining a better understanding of social environment and take initiatives to become productive members of the society.

UP RGSEAG Scheme Components

There are 2 major components under the Scheme for Adolescent Girls (SABLA) namely Nutrition Component and Non-Nutrition Component. The description of 2 components of the SABLA scheme are as follows:-

• Nutrition Component – All the out of school girls b/w 11 to 14 years can take Home Ration or Hot Cooked Meal. There is a nutrition provision Rs. 9.50 per day which includes 600 calories along with 18‐20 gram of protein and recommended daily intake of micro-nutrients per day.
• Non Nutrition Component – For all the out of school girls can avail IAS supplementation, Health check‐up and Referral services, Nutrition & Health Education (NHE), Counseling / Guidance on family welfare, ARSH, child care practices, Life Skill Education and accessing public services for 2-3 times a week.

Uttar Pradesh SABLA Scheme Coverage

The Scheme for Adolescent Girls (SABLA) in UP will cover all the out of school adolescent girls lying in the age group of 11 to 14 years. SABLA Scheme was sanctioned by the central govt. in FY 2010 and is already implemented in 205 districts across the country. Afterwards, the govt. has expanded and universalize the SABLA scheme in a phase wise manner in an additional 303 districts.

Scheme For Adolescent Girls (SABLA) – Now in All Districts of Haryana

Haryana Government is going to implement Scheme for Adolescent Girls (SABLA) in all districts of the state. This scheme will facilitate education and empowerment of out of schools adolescent girls belonging to the age group of 11-14 years. Gvot. will implement this scheme through Anganwadi Centers under the umbrella of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) to fully replace Kishori Shakti Yojana (KSY). Earlier, SABLA Scheme was named as Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls (RGSEAG).

Intitially, SABLA was implemented in 6 districts namely Ambala, Yamunanagar, Rohtak, Rewari, Kaithal and Hisar on a pilot basis. Now, the state govt. has decided to expand the coverage and scope to all districts. All the District Programme Officers (DPOs) will conduct the baseline survey, identify the beneficiaries and then submit their report to give exact report for getting funds from Union Ministry of Women and Child Development.

Haryana Scheme For Adolescent Girls (RGSEAG)

The important features and highlights of SABLA Scheme are as follows:-

• This primary objective of this scheme is to educate and empower the out of school girls to become self reliant and to generate awareness.
• Special emphasis will be given for providing Self Employment Opportunities along with improvement in their nutrition and health status.
• This scheme also includes promotion of awareness about aspects of health and nutrition. Govt. will also provide supplementary nutrition to these girls.
• Govt. will support “Out of School Adolescent Girls” to transition back to formal school education. Moreover, these girls will be entitled to avail skill development training for upgradation of their home-based skills, life skills and create awareness on socio-legal issues.
• Adolescent Girls will receive all the necessary info. on various existing public services like Primary Health Centers (PHCs), Community Health Centres (CHCs), Post Office, Bank and Police Stations.
• All the school girls in the age group of 11 to 14 years are eligible for this scheme.
• Scheme For Adolescent Girls will be implemented under Integrated Child Development Services through Anganwadi Centers (AWCs).

Components of Scheme For Adolescent Girls in Haryana

This scheme now has 2 components – Nutrition and Non-Nutrition whose description is given below:-

Nutrition Component:

• All the adolescent girls registered under this scheme will get supplementary nutrition as given to the pregnant women and lactating mothers under ICDS.
• This scheme will ensure that each girls must get nutritious food of 600 calories, 18-20 grams of protein and micro-nutrients for minimum 300 days in an year.
• Govt. will also provide the facility of Take Home Ration (THR) or Hot Cooked Meals (HCM) as feasible.
• For hot Cooked Meals, all the quality standards will be taken into consideration. Govt. will spend Rs. 9.5 per beneficiary per day for around 300 days in one year.

Central govt. and Haryana govt. will bear the cost of supplementary nutrition in 50:50 ratio.

Non-Nutrition Component:

• This component will focus on motivating the out of school girls of 11 to 14 years of age to get back to education. Moreover, the state govt. will also motivate them to either get back to formal schooling or get skill training.
• In addition, govt. will also provide these girls with Iron–Folic Acid (IFA) supplementation, regular health check-ups, referral services, nutrition and health education, life skill education, counseling / guidance to access public services.
• Govt. will provide an amount of Rs. 1.1 lakh / project to concerned departments to successfully implement this scheme.
• ICDS Monitoring Committee will monitor and review the progress of scheme. These committees are also responsible to suggest suitable mechanisms to improve the implementation process.

Haryana govt. has taken into account the physical, physiological and health needs of the adolescent girls while designing services.