The Indian Primary and Secondary Education Megaproject

104, Parshudhar Bldg

Plot No 5, Sector 25

Nerul ( E ), Navi Mumbai

2nd Oct’ 2009

Kind Attn : Shri. Kapil Sibal
__________Minister Of Human Resource Development
__________Government Of India




Subject : The Indian Primary & Secondary Education Megaproject
________ – A Unique Teacher Centric Project ( Reminder )


Sir,

This is a follow up on the project proposal which has earlier been submitted to
the government of India on the 24th of April ‘ 2009.

The following are the salient features of this Education Megaproject :

1. Project will deliver high quality education to upto 126 Million Children ,free
__of cost.

2. Financing_ is__ based__on the _concept of_ differential FSI’s. A total of
__US $ 93 Billion or _Rs 440,000 crores will be raised through an alternate
__financing _mechanism without any need for significant long term financial
__support from the Government of India. Project is therefore at Zero cost to
__Govt. Of India as_ initial _corpus _will _be_ returned within 2-3 years with
__12 % interest.

3. The principal objective of the programme is to attract the best minds to a
__career in teaching by creating a lifestyle around the teaching_ profession.
__This Teacher Based Design ( Design_ is_ not student or literacy based)
__however will reach more children than all previous education programmes
__of the Govt Of India put_ together_ and_ far more effectively as well , due
__to its teacher centric design.

4. Since 80 % of the 30,0000 new schools to be set up under the project
__documents_ will_ be_ in rural areas, the_ project_ will result in an actual
__distribution of wealth. Further_ as_ each of_ the_ 30,000 new _rural hub
__schools will share teaching resources with 7 – 14 other schools_ in_ its
__area, a_ total of 240,000 schools_ will _be covered. The schools will be
__overstaffed by design to_ achieve_ this _coverage. The teacher centric
__design in (2) above is critical_ to_ achieve_ the target coverage of 126
__million children by 2020.

5. A special Public Private Partnership (PPP)_ format_will be deployed to
__catalyse massive investment under the project documents. At the same
__time it_ will_ create_ unprecedented_ opportunities__ for__ community
__ownership of schools. The PPP format has been specifically designed
__to enable community ownership of schools.

6. The Money Multiplier effect of this US $ 93 Billion project on the Indian
__Economy_ will_ be_ in the region of US $ 500 Billion by 2020, of this
__$ 400 Billion will be the net money multiplier in rural areas. This does
__not include_ the huge_ benefits_ which will accrue to the nation by way
__of increased productivity as well as the huge improvement in the quality
__of people and_ their_ value systems_ as_ we will be bringing back an
__ancient tradition wherein the teacher enjoyed a_ position of respect in
__society and_ where_ his_ need_ for_ financial_ security was assured.

7. More than any other project that has ever been conceived in India, this
__project_ by_ virtue_ of_ its_ sophisticated_ philosophy will completely
__transform_ and_ reverse_ the colossal damage that has been done to
__Indian value systems. The_ project’s_ unique design basis philosophy
__(Vivekananda’s Pholisophy) has therefore been adopted as the design
__basis document for this massive_ Man Making and Character Building
__project.

8. Besides_ all_ the above_ mentioned features, the_ project _when fully
__commissioned in 2020 will be the worlds largest environmental project
__due to_ its_ use_ sustainable_ building_ technologies_ and traditional
__architecture based on the Auroville and Laurie Baker Schools. It will
__also feature a_ large_ tree plantation programme wherein 150 million
__trees of_ various types_ will _be _planted _in the first half of the project
__execution phase ( 2010 – 2015 ).

Project Download

The entire project along_ with_ its financial structure (Key Document) and
calculations and other project documents can be_ downloaded by clicking
on the following links below :

http://www.nataraja.org.in/site_includes/documents/Letter%20to%20Shri%20Kapil%20Sibal_2nd_Oct_2009.pdf ( Reminder Letter )

http://www.nataraja.org.in/site_includes/documents/Project_Executive_Summary.pdf

http://www.nataraja.org.in/site_includes/documents/Education_Megaproject_Legal_And_Financial_Structure.xls

http://www.nataraja.org.in/site_includes/documents/The_Indian_Primary_and_Secondary_Education_Megaproject.xls

http://www.nataraja.org.in/site_includes/documents/Project_Design_Basis_Document.pdf

http://www.nataraja.org.in/site_includes/documents/Important_Precedent_For_Removal_Of_Restrictive_Regulations_In_India_1991-_1993.pdf

http://www.nataraja.org.in/site_includes/documents/Project_Cover_Letter.pdf ( First Cover Letter )


Forward Path : Support Required from Government

To make this_ project happen, the following support is required from the
Govt Of India :

A. _ A_ Statutory_ Organization__ “ The Indian _Social _Infrastructure
___Corporation " will _need _to _be created under an act of Parliament.
___The legal status of this organization and its financial structure / means
___of financing are specified in the “ Legal and Financial Structure “ which
___is available for free download on the project website. www.nataraja.org.in

B. _To enable fast track execution of this project , Government __needs to
___ initiate a total of 56 pilot projects across 28 states. Each _Pilot project
___will include, besides a school for 600 students, a_ large_rural teachers
___training _facility to _train 1500 _teachers each year as well as training
___facility to train_ 3000_masons_ in_ Vernacular / Low cost / sustainable
___architecture. Each_ of_ the_ 56 _pilot projects_ will_ require_ between
___150 – 200 Acres of land .

C. _An initial_ corpus_ to_ set up_ the 56 pilot projects including the model
___schools, teachers training institutes and _Masons training institutes. All
___this initial money that the government spends upfront will be returned by
___ the “ The Indian Social Infrastructure Corporation ” _within _2 – 3 years
___with interest calculated at 12 %. The rest of the project ( balance 30,000
___schools ) will not need any further money from govt. Of _India and will be
___self financing.

Parliament has in August 2009 passed “The Right of Children to Free and
Compulsory Education Bill, 2009 “ and_the President_ has_ subsequently
signed this bill into Law.

There are now serious questions being raised as of how the massive funds
required to give effect to this new legislation are to be raised. We therefore
need to think very differently, so as to leapfrog from our current systems and
financing practices to alternate systems of financing which allow projects of
this magnitude to pay for themselves. This project _might _well _serve as a
Benchmark for future Social Infrastructure financing in India and around the
world as it gives effect to _some of the thinking within the World Bank group
on Unlocking land values in_ urban India _( World Bank PPIAF Policy paper
No 7 , by George E Peterson ' 2009).


The problems within the education system in India cannot be solved at
the same level of thinking which _has_ created them. _Given _the above
series of substantial benefits, if the government of _India were to still reject the
scheme there should be very strong and compelling reasons for it to do so.

It will be nice if you could please acknowledge the receipt of this note .

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,



Ashish Puntambekar
Project Designer
The Nataraja Foundation
www.nataraja.org.in
E mail : ashish.puntambekar@gmail.com
Tel : 9867612368



Distribution :

Cc :

Dr. Sam Pitroda, Chairman, National Knowledge Commission, GOI
Dr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia ( Dy. Chairman Planning Commission, GOI )
Dr. Manmohan Singh ( Prime Minister Of India )
Shri. Pranab Mukherjee ( Finance Minister , GOI )
Smt. D. Purandeswari, Minister of State for HRD, GOI
Ms. Anshu Vaish, Secretary,School Education & Literacy , Ministry Of HRD, GOI
Mr. Ashok Chawla , Finance Secretary, Ministry Of Finance, GOI
Dr. Vijay Kelkar , Chairman , 13th Finance Commission , GOI
All Members of the Indian Planning Commission
All Members of the National Knowledge Commission