Total literacy by 2005, says CM

By Our Special Correspondent

VIKARABAD, (Ranga Reddy dt) OCT. 2. The Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, on Tuesday asserted that the goal of total literacy would be achieved by 2005 through literacy programmes covering 36 lakh people this year and 50 lakh each in the following three years.

Launching the second phase of ``Akshara Sankranthi,'' the literacy programme here, coinciding with Mahatma Gandhi Jayanthi, Mr. Naidu said his confidence stemmed from the fact that in the first phase, 29 lakh people had become literate, a majority of them women numbering 24.71 lakh, besides 4.35 lakh men. It was a stupendous success, thanks to the DWCRA groups, he added.

Marking the launch of the second phase, attended by a large number of women, Mr. Naidu presented slates and primers to three women and made one of them write the first two alphabets in Telugu. In turn, three other neoliterate women presented a citation written by them. One of them, who read it out flawlessly, received a wide applause. As soon as he arrived, he unfurled an Akshara Sankranthi flag.

Later, the Chief Minister administered a pledge to all those attending the function that each one of them would strive to contribute his /her mite to turn the State totally literate and dedicate themselves to the cause of wiping out illiteracy. Soon after the pledge, a few women from the audience stood up and in a raised voice complained that they had not received slates and study material. At another point when the local MLA, Dr. A. Chandrasekhar, was speaking, a farmer caused a stir, holding aloft a sheaf of damaged jowar crop.

Mr. Naidu said Vikarabad was chosen for the launch of the second phase as the municipality and the Ranga Reddy district were somewhat backward in the literacy programme. But the authorities had promised to work hard to ensure that the municipality could be declared totally literate in a year's time. If the goal was achieved, the Government would give a grant of Rs. 2 crores. It would be the second municipality after Tanuku. For the entire district an ambitious target has been set to cover 100 panchayats and 60 wards as totally literate. West Godavari district was to be declared totally literate in a year's time.

On the 5 to 14 age group, Mr. Naidu said of the 45 lakh children not going to school, 10 lakh had been sent to school last year. This year another seven lakh would be covered.

Responding to demands listed by the local TDP MLA, Dr. Chandrasekhar, and the Vikarabad Municipality chairperson, Mrs. Jaya Narsing Rao, he announced sanction of 12 projects with support from NABARD, a Rs. 3-crore HUDCO aided permanent drinking water scheme by raising the capacity of Shivasagar tank and a special tourism project for the town and the adjoining Anantagiri Hills. He would also consider Vikarabad as district headquarters of Ranga Reddy.

The School and Adult Education Minister, Mr. Kadiam Srihari, said the 18 per cent decadal growth of literacy from 1991 to 2001, among women, was the highest in the country. Thanks to the Chief Minister's intervention, the levy on Excise, working out to Rs. 260 crores was passed on to carry out the literacy programme, he added.

The Home Minister, Mr. T. Devender Goud and Mr. I. V. Subba Rao, Secretary, Education, spoke. Mr. Harishwar Reddy and Mr. Mahender Reddy, TDP MLAs, Mr. M. Nagarjuna, CEO, Literacy Mission, and Dr. Manmohan Singh, Commissioner, School Education, attended.

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