Statesman News Service
MALDA, 8 SEPT: The Malda district has targetted to bring more than 2.6 lakh illiterate people within the age group of 15 to 35, under the continuing literacy programme, officials declared here today. They are now awaiting new instructions from the National Literacy Mission which has planned to launch a special women literacy project across the country. Addressing the celebrations of the World Literacy Day at Malda college auditorium today, the secretary of Malda Zilla Saarbik Saksharata O Janaswastha Abhijan Samiti, Mr Kajal Banerjee said a total of 8.7 lakh people were recorded as illiterate within the years 1992-93.“After conducting a survey, we have found that a total of 2,61,161 lakh people including women between the age group of 15 and 35 are still illiterate and we have to bring back them to the literacy centres,” Mr Banerjee said. The district magistrate Mr. Sridhar Ghosh, who was also present at the celebration programme, criticised the present system and said that they have achieved nothing other than statistics which is only confined to papers. “Still we can not say that we have succeeded in implementing the literacy programme here. Mere writing of one's name is not what literacy actually means”, said Mr Ghosh.Citing an example, Mr Ghosh said: “Many modified dealers keep thousands of consumers’ ration cards under their custody illegally duping the poor. It is just because these people are illeterate that the dealers are able to cheta them.”On the other hand, the district officials admitted that they could not make payments of honorarium for the voluntary teachers and had engaged them in literacy programme since the past 14 months.In Malda , 59 per cent men and 41 percent women of the total population have been identified as literate. Hundreds of women engaged in literacy projects took part in today's Word Literacy Day observation where people representatives like MLA, Zilla Parishad members, present and former sabhadhipatis were present to celebrate the day.
No comments:
Post a Comment