Vizianagaram: Women learn to read, write

Vizianagaram: With an aim to help nearly 40,000 women to become literate, the district administration is on a mission.

As part of the pilot project the Union and State governments are jointly implementing the scheme Padhna-Likhna Abhiyan in the district. The Union government will bear 60 per cent of the expenditure and the rest is by the State government. As a part of it, the officials concerned identified 39,336 women from ten mandals.

The district has an average literacy rate of 58.89 per cent with male literacy at 68.15 per cent and female literacy 49.87 per cent.

The officials identified women from self-help groups of ten mandals and appointed 3,194 volunteers.

The women would be thought to read and write in phased mode. The first phase will be completed by February 15. By the end of the programme, women will be able to read and write their names.

Jami, Gantyada, Garividi, Cheepurupalli, Makkuva, Pachipenta, Salur and other mandals were listed for the pilot project.

District Collector A Surya Kumari collector said it is a great programme to help women read and write and added that this will increase their self-confidence. It is a good opportunity for women to change themselves, she added.