Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu has called illiteracy a curse for human life. Distributing certificates to new literates and those spreading literacy around them in rural areas of the State on the occasion of International literacy Day on Friday, Naidu also praised the Government’s efforts towards making Jharkhand a complete literate State by 2019-20.
“Over 32 lakh individuals turning literates with more than 500 panchayats becoming fully literates in last three years or so is the testimony of what the Government has been doing in order to turn the State a complete literate one in coming years. I am sure of Jharkhand achieving target of becoming a completely literate State by 2020,” said Naidu.
Calling illiteracy a curse for human life, the Vice-President urged those turned literate during last three years to take this cause ahead and help others deprived of knowledge around them which kept them unaware of their rights and duties. “It is extremely pleasant to know that 70 per cent of those turned literate in recent months are females. I will urge society as a whole to come forward to educate the illiterate around them,” said Naidu.
Governor Droupadi Murmu, at the same time, stressed upon quality education and said that the entire narrative of literacy must include quality education in it too, as merely being literate was not enough. “literacy is not confined to being able to read and write, but it is also a subject of respect, opportunities and development. I must say that educating a male helps in his individual development, while educating a female spreads lights of education to entire family. Hence girl education is extremely important,” said Murmu.
Notably, Naidu, who is on a two-day Jharkhand visit for the first time after he became Vice-President last month will launch Smart City project in capital city on Saturday.
Chief Minister Raghubar Das, on the occasion, said that the Government was trying its best to make the State completely literate by 2020. “Though the Government has been trying, but this is not the task of the Government alone. A concerted effort with the help of all educated in the society can change the scenario. With 66.41 per cent of literacy at present, we have to go a long way and I urge the society to take leadership position in educating those still illiterate,” said the CM.