Chhattisgarh on Sunday received the prestigious National literacy Awards for attaining remarkable achievements in the field of literacy, a press statement of the State Government informed.
Chhattisgarh has been awarded in the State category for successful implementation of ‘Sakshar Bharat Mission’ in 23 out of 27 districts of the State. Beside, Korea district and Patna gram panchayat of Baikunthpur block of the State have also been awarded in district and gram panchayat categories.
Chhattisgarh School Education Minister Brijmohan Agrawal received the award from President Pranab Mukherjee on the occasion of International literacy Day at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. Korea District Panchayat President Chamma Devi Singh Pawle and Sarpanch of Patna Gram Panchayat Gayatri Singh received the awards from the President in the respective categories.
Union Human Resource and Development Minister M M Pallam Raju, Minister of State for HRD Shashi Tharoor and Jitin Prasada were present at the function. On the International literacy Day, every year one State from the country, two districts at district level and three best village panchayats at panchayat level are honoured for their outstanding achievements in literacy sector.
So far, many districts, development blocks and village panchayats of the State have received this award. But it is for the first time after its formation in November 2000 that Chhattisgarh has been nominated in all the three categories of the award. Night schools with proper electricity have been started in anganwadi centers, schools and community centers to spread education. Primary education facility has been reached to every settlement in the State. Except Durg, Dhamtari, Balod and Bemethara, literate India Programmes has been going on in 23 districts.
The focus of the programme was to educate the uneducated youths of the State who are between 15 and 35 years, especially women. Under the programme, students of class 10 and 12 were motivated to impart education to the illiterate children of tribal dominated remote areas of the State. It was also decided to give additional 10 marks as bonus marks to these students in examinations conducted by Chhattisgarh Board of Secondary Education. Remarkably, during the last ten years from 2001 to 2011, the State literacy rate has increased by 5.64 per cent. In 2001, the literacy rate of Chhattisgarh was 64.66 per cent, which has been increased to 70.28 per cent in 2011.
The women literacy rate was more than that of men during this period. Chhattisgarh State literacy Mission Authority Director C S Dahre, District Panchayat Korea CEO Ranu Sahu, Prashant Pandey of State literacy Mission and Officer of Korea district lok Skihsha Samiti Umesh Jaiswal were also present at the function.