Bangalore: Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa
said Karnataka was looking at achieving 100 per cent literacy
by 2015 through the Centre`s "Saaskshar Bharat" programme
which was launched on Saturday in 18 districts of the state.
Launching the programme, which recasts the National
Mission for Female Literacy (NMFL), he said the state was
looking at 85 per cent literacy by 2012 and will continue it
to achieve complete literacy by 2015.
"The government wants to ensure 36 lakh illiterates in
all 18 districts become literate by March 31, 2012," he said.
State will fund 25 per cent of the programme while the
rest would be provided by the Centre.
He said the Government will take all efforts to ensure
that women in 15-35 age group in these districts become
literate by 2012.
"The 21st century belongs to India and with the world
watching us, the State and the Central governments should come
together to make the literacy mission a success", he said.
Yeddyurappa said the BJP government has accorded top
priority to education and has been spending between Rs 14,000
to Rs 15,000 crore on it.
Union Minister of state for Human Resource Development
D Purandeshwari said it was regrettable that the national
literacy rate was only around 65 per cent and gender parity
about 21 per cent even after over 60 years of independence.
Underlining various measures taken by the Centre to
boost literacy, she said the Right To Education Act aimed at
providing quality education was an important bill which needs
support of state governments for effective implementation.
She said the programme, initiated in 1988, was
recasting the NMFL since women constitute 48 per cent of adult
population in India as against 50 per cent in the world.
Yeddyurappa said nine lakh families have so far been
benefited under the programme under which a girl child is paid
Rs one lakh once she attains the age of 18.
Union Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs,
Veerappa Moily said even a per cent increase in literacy means
one per cent increase in contribution to the GDP.
India must capitalise on its demographic dividend of
being `the youngest country in the world" and strengthen its
position in the global arena through literacy, he said.
Karnataka now occupies 15th spot in literacy (64 per
cent). The mission must not be just a government programme,
but become a "people`s revolution", he said.
PTI
