Srinagar, May 20: Chief Minister and Pro-Chancellor University of Kashmir, Omar Abdullah has asked the officials to expedite the implementation of Sakshar Bharat programme at grass root level to eradicate illiteracy from the State. 

 He said, it would especially empower the women for participation in all the developmental activities in J&K.

 Omar said this in a meeting with Director State Resource Centre, University of Kashmir, Shoukat Farooqi who called on him to apprise about the various initiatives taken by SRC and role of Panchayats for successful implementation of the Sakshar Bharat programme in the State, a communiqué issued by varsity said.

 Omar said Panchayats could play an important role in overall development of the State in general and achievement of the targets fixed under Sakshar Bharat programme at Gram Panchayat level in particular. He assured the Director that the concerned machinery shall be geared up to help achieve the targets in the specific time frame. 

 Sakshar Bharat, a flagship programme of the Government of India for eradication of illiteracy from the country was lunched on September 8, 2009 by the Prime Minster with a focus on female literacy. 

 Since J&K, where the literacy percentage particularly among women is below 50 per cent as per census 2001, the Sakshar Bharat was sanctioned for the 13 erstwhile districts of the State. 

 In 2010 State Literacy Mission Authority (SLMA) was constituted under the chairmanship of Minster for School Education for implementation of the programme.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 20 May 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 20 May 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 21 May 2011 00:00:00 IST