An Overview of NGC

National Green corps, popularly known as NGC is a national programme conceptualized and initiated by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India. As the name suggests, it is a   programme to sensitize school children about environment, its problems and conservation. Started in the year 2001, the programme is operational across the country   through school eco-clubs established for this purpose.

The genesis

We all know the importance of environment that we live in and the consequences of environmental degradation. Knowledge, skills and attitudinal changes are the need of the hour to realize the value of environment   upon which depends the survival of life and to halt environmental c

atastrophe.  Environmental protection and improvement is a mammoth task that no Government or one group with all their resources, skills and knowledge, can accomplish it successfully without the involvement of masses at large.  Thus, major efforts are required to effectively spread the message of environmental conservation across the length and breadth of the Indian subcontinent, so that every citizen is motivated to take active role in conservation efforts. 

Creating awareness among people   over one billion,   spread across  27 states, belonging to diverse cultures; speaking variety of languages, is   a major challenge. Educating children, who are an integral part of the society and the future citizens as well, therefore may help in this endeavour. 5 to 14 being the most formative years, impact of schooling is tremendous and long lasting. Children have no bias and are most receptive to messages and information at this stage. Above all, they are the single most powerful influence on the families and thereby the society.

With this realization, the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Government of India has launched the National Green Corps Programme (NGC) in the country in the year 2001-02, with a view to provide an opportunity for children to redirect the consciousness and actions towards a more sustainable planet through a different kind of educational approach that takes into the depth of things. 

Objectives

• to impart knowledge to children about their immediate environment, interactions within and problems therein through hands-on experience
• to develop  skills  of observation, experimentation, survey, recording, analysis, reasoning needed for conserving  environment through activities
• to inculcate  proper attitudes with regard to environment and its conservation through action-based programmes
• to sensitize children to  issues related to environment and  development through field visits and demonstrations
• to promote logical and independent thinking among children to be able to select right choices  by instilling in them the spirit of scientific inquiry
• to  involve  them in  action projects  related to  environmental conservation

The programme also proposes to sensitize the society through ‘school to society’ interactions.

How does NGC work?

Targeting  school children, the ‘early adopters’, MoEFCC, Government of India hopes to sow the seeds of conservation awareness / invoke the masses  across the country  to by trigging   a chain reaction starting from school to society to decision makers – from school to village/town to city, to state to country.

• In order to fulfil this  goal  eco-clubs are established in schools across the country to  motivate and  stimulate our young minds
• All schools imparting education up to class12 and affiliated to any recognized board are eligible for establishment of eco-clubs.

• Each eco-club would have 30-50 children, who are interested in environment related issues.
• Each Eco-club would be supervised by a Teacher in-charge, who is selected from the school on the basis of his/her interest in environment related issues.
• Monetary support of Rs. 2,500/- per annum  would be given to each eco-club for organizing variety of  activities  that support  environmental conservation
• Each Eco-club would be  provided with a kit of resource material in the language of their preference
• District Implementation and Monitoring Committee would be established to facilitate the programme in each district including training for in-charge teachers, follow up of actions, periodical monitoring of the overall plan and implementation. Financial assistance of Rs. 25,000/- per annum would be provided to the district implementation and monitoring committees to facilitate the programme.
• State Steering Committee would give overall direction/guide the overall NGC implementation in the respective State /UT.  And ensures linkages at all levels. Besides these annual disbursements, financial assistance for Training of Master Trainers, teacher’s in-charge, and distribution of resource materials is also provided to States / UTs on need based basis. 

• A Nodal Agency selected by the state would facilitate and coordinate the implementation of the programme in the State/UT including organizing training of Master Trainers, follow up of actions, periodical monitoring of the overall plan and implementation. A financial assistance of 5% of the total money released to the State / UT for eco-clubs and district implementation and monitoring committees  would  be provided as administrative expenses to Nodal agencies.
• A resource agency will assist the nodal agency   and the district committees in every state to implement the programme in a effective manner. They will provide technical support needed for the programme, help in drawing action plans, selecting relevant resource materials, and provide resource persons for training of master trainers and so on. A financial assistance of 3% of the total money released to the State / UT for eco-clubs and district implementation and monitoring committees would be provided as administrative expenses to resource agencies.
• Under the programme, a maximum of 250 schools are financially supported per district. 

Structure of the Programme

Role of Agencies and Committees

The State Nodal Agency

The Directorate of Environment, Government of Uttar Pradesh is the State nodal agency in Uttar Pradesh which acts as node for the implementation of the programme in the State. Following roles are executed by nodal agency:

• To ensure identification of member schools by the District Committee in consultation with the Resource Agency.
• To select locally relevant resource material in consultation with the Resource Agency , adopt if required, print and disseminate to the eco-clubs
• To organize a 3-day  training for the  Master Trainers selected by the District Committees  with the help of Resource Agency.
• To ensure training of teachers in-charge of eco-clubs of the districts.
• To ensure distribution of grants and resource material to eco-clubs.
• To ensure that the DIMC members meet regularly for the follow up actions.
• To compile quarterly reports sent by the District Committees, analyze the strengths and weakness and give directions if needed and to send the compiled report to the Central Nodal Officer in the given format every quarter.
• To organize and coordinate State Level activities

• To organize publicity campaigns to encourage more schools and students to join Eco-clubs.
• To organize regular meetings of State committee to discuss the programme and to take corrective measures and follow up actions.

Guidance and Coordination

Committees are formed to show direction, give guidance and to coordinate the

Programme.

District Implementation and Monitoring Committee (DIMC)

This committee guides the Eco-clubs of the respective district and coordinates and monitors the programme in 250 eco-clubs of the district

Role

• To select member schools in consultation with State Nodal Agency and Resource Agency.
• To motivate Heads of schools to initiate participation in the programme.
• To select one or 2 Master Trainers from the district and facilitate their training by the State Nodal Agency.
• To select teachers in-charge of eco-clubs in consultation with the Heads of the schools and organize training for the selected teachers.
• To distribute resource material/kit to eco-clubs through teachers in-charge.
• To identify activities that can be taken up at the District level such as exhibitions, events and organize them.
• To coordinate, supervise and monitor the implementation of the activities of Eco-clubs in the district.
• To report to  the State Nodal Agency  the activities  of eco-clubs in the district a t regular intervals
• To organize regular follow up and monitoring of each eco-club through the committee members and compile monitoring report and send it to the State Nodal Agency in the prescribed format once in every quarter.
• To organize regular meetings of its members to discuss the programme and to take corrective measure and follow up actions.

Composition

The committee will have more than 12 members representing various departments of the office of District Collectorate. The State government also can nominate any individual who is relevant to the Committee.

State Steering Committee

This committee advices and guides the Eco-club activities of the entire State and gives directions to the   programme.

Role

• To coordinate over all implementation of the programme in the State.
• To encourage and motivate different government departments and other institutions to actively participate and assist the Eco-club activities.
• To review periodically the implementation of the scheme and  give directions accordingly
• To encourage the DIMCs to take up activities at District Level.
• To publicize NGC to motivate Eco-club movement.
• To select the best district, the best Eco-club to acknowledge their contribution to the environmental movement and thereby encouraging them. 
• To meet at regular intervals to discuss the programme and to take corrective measure and follow up actions.

Composition

The committee will have more than 10 members representing various departments of the State.  The State government also can nominate any individual who is relevant to the Committee

Assistance

Technical and material support and financial assistance are crucial to the effective implementation of the activities of eco-club.

Technical support through the State Resource Agency

Each State/UT is being provided with the services of a Resource Agency. In Uttar Pradesh, Centre for Environment Education, Northern Regional Cell (CEE North) acts as a consultant and a facilitator. The resource agency provides technical assistance and related services.

Role

• To assist the State Nodal Agency and the District Committees in the selection of schools
• To help the Nodal Agency in selecting locally relevant resource materials and/or adaptation and translation of relevant materials.
• To help Nodal Agency to plan the 3-day training module for master trainers
• To  provide technical inputs and resource persons for the master trainers training 
• To provide assistance to the District Committees to plan a 2-day teacher training module for the eco-club teachers in-charge and to provide training schedule and resource persons for the training.
• To help the District committees in drawing up year-round action plans for the eco-clubs.
• To motivate  the District committees to plan district level events
•  To help District committees  in  organizing district  level events
• To advise the State Nodal Agency in all the aspects of implementation of the programme in the State.

About Eco-clubs

Eligibility to become an eco-club

• Any  school which is recognized by the Government (State/Central/UT) and affiliated to a Statuary Board including Kendriya Vidyalayas and Navodaya Vidyalayas and all other schools of CBSE / ICSE
• It must be a secondary and senior secondary school. However, District committee in consultation with the nodal agency and the state committee can select upper primary schools in districts where it is difficult to get 250 secondary and senior secondary schools.
• The school must have interest in environmental issues. Experience in the area of environmental conservation is an added advantage.

How to apply for the eco-club membership?

The District Implementation and Monitoring Committee selects the NGC schools with the help of  the State Education Department.

Interested school can also send a request application on a plain paper with the name of the school, address, recognized board, levels of courses, experience if any in conducting environmental related activities and purpose of establishing the eco-club.  Also bank details of the school need to be furnished. The completed application should be sent to the respective District Implementation and Monitoring Committee (DIMC) or State Nodal agency.

Selection of Eco-clubs

Based on the eligibility criteria, DIMIC selects the schools for establishing eco-clubs. Preference is given to schools that have experience in conducting activities related to environmental issues. The school which is selected becomes a member of the programme and hence is called ‘member school ‘. The decision of selection is communicated to the school by DIMC within 45 days and will request the selected eco-club to provide a list of student members of the club and also the name of teacher in-charge.

Selection of eco-clubs members

Eco-club should have 30-50 student members. Children interested in environment related issues can be selected to become the members of the club.

Selection of teacher in-charge

A teacher should be selected  as teacher in-charge of the eco-club who is

- interested in environmental issues,

- conducted activities with children in the field of  environment,

- capable of motivating students

- capable of planning and handling outdoor activities with students

- coordinate eco-club programme with the local community and DIMC

Training

Teacher in-charge will undergo training by the master trainers generally in the district headquarters, for 2 days. The training will focus on the rationale of NGC, its impacts, planning year-round activities for the club, implementation, documentation and reporting, accounting.

Role of teacher in-charge of the eco-club

The key to the success of the programme lies with the teacher in-charge of the eco-club. Important roles assigned to the teacher in-charge are

• To motivate  students to become club members and contribute towards environmental conservation
• To plan activities for the year which are locally relevant
• To assemble the eco-club members every week for a minimum period of one hour, facilitate and conduct activity/activities.
• To make necessary preparations to  execute implementation of activities
• effectively in consultation with the club members and  Principal/ Headmaster/Headmistress
• To plan the utilization of funds for the activities in consultation with the club members and  Principal/ Headmaster/Headmistress
• To document activities and impacts
• To  report monthly activities to DIMC by sending the monthly report
• To send final report at the end of the academic year to DIMC for the release of the remaining funds. 
• To motivate DIMC to take up district level common programmes.
• To encourage club members to establish linkages with the local community through activities like events, exhibitions, street theatre for environmental conservation. 

Suggested Activities for Eco-clubs  

• Organizing seminars, debates, lectures and popular talks on environmental issues in the school.
• Organizing Field visits to environmentally important sites including polluted and degraded sites, wildlife parks, energy parks and so on.
• Organizing rallies, march, human chains, street theater, folk art at public places with a view to spread environmental awareness.
• Implementing action based activities like tree plantation, waste management, and bund construction for soil water conservation, growing kitchen gardens, constructing water-harvesting structures in the school campus and out side.
• Preparing inventories of biodiversity of the region, polluting sources and forwarding these inventories to enforcement agencies.
• Organizing awareness programmes on conservation of wildlife, health hazards due to open defecation, personal hygiene, promoting habits like washing hands before meals and so on, exhibiting messages and posters in public places on environmental sanitation and conservation.
• Maintaining public places like community parks, gardens, heritage sites and also school gardens.
• Mobilizing the community to take action against environmentally unsound practices such as improper garbage disposal, unsafe disposal of hospital waste, tree cutting, polluting water resources. 
• Any other activity decided by the Eco-club.

Assistance and accounting

Eco-club member school will be given an annual financial assistance of Rs. 2,500/-. Each Eco-club will also get a kit of resource material including activity manuals, posters in the language of their preference. The student members and In-charge teacher can decide on the utilization on the money for eco-club activities in consultation with the Principal / Head Master/Mistress. Eco club grant is transferred to school through direct transfer. School needs to keep record of expenses which needs to be submitted along with eco-club report.