10L women made literate under govt scheme: Minister

Patna: As many as 10,35,984 women have been made literate under the Mahadalit, Dalit and Minority Extremely Backward Class Akshar Aanchal Yojana in the financial year 2024-25 and the current year.

Under this scheme, 9,69,861 women achieved literacy in 2023-24.On the occasion of International Literacy Day on Monday, education minister Sunil Kumar highlighted the significant rise in female literacy and appealed to writers, intellectuals, social workers and educated citizens to actively contribute to the mission of making Bihar a fully literate state.Celebrations were held at several literacy centres across the state.

At the foundational literacy centre at Kanya Middle School in the Bada Hospital area of Bankipur, newly literate women were provided with notebooks, pencils, and books. The materials were distributed by shiksha sevak Sunita Kumari in the presence of local social worker Mahadev Prasad Yadav.Addressing the women, Yadav praised the govt’s efforts in educating women aged 15 to 45. He added that the centres conduct examinations to provide certified proof of literacy.

“This certification can then be used to secure loans from banks and government sources, enabling women to start their own businesses and improve their livelihoods,” he said.A similar celebration took place at the Urdu Primary School in Lodipur. KRP Anamika Kumari said around 40 women participated in the event. Many expressed a shared commitment to ensuring their children would not face the same educational limitations they had, pledging to send them to school regularly. The event also included the distribution of notebooks and pencils to the attendees.