Literacy programme remains on paper

BHAWANIPATNA: The ambitious Saakshar Bharat Mission of the Centre has failed to take off in Kalahandi. Aiming to promote literacy among women, the project was launched across the country on September 8, 2009. The two adult education programmes of the Centre - Total Literacy Mission and Continuing Education Mission - were scrapped and the Saakshar Bharat Mission was launched.  The Mission, which aims at making women literate by 2012, targets districts where the literacy level is less than 50 per cent. In Orissa, the Mission was to be implemented in Kalahandi, Balangir and Sundargarh districts. However, in a delayed move Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched the literacy project at Junagarh in Kalahandi district on February 28 this year. Though the Mission is scheduled to end by March 2012, so far identification of target groups (learners) and volunteer teachers have not been completed. Besides, selection of two Shiksha Preraks for each of the 273 gram panchayats has not been done. Under the project, funds are released in instalments to the district by the HRD Ministry and on submission of utilisation certificate, the amount for next phase work is disbursed.During January this year, the first instalment of ` 1.47 crore was allotted by the Centre to the district for printing of reading materials, training and payment of salary of district, block and panchayat level coordinators for the first three months. However, due to non-submission of utilisation certificate the second instalment is yet to be released.Sources said despite reminders to the Directorate of Mass Education, no step has been taken so far to implement the Mission in a proper manner.DRDA project director Ashok Kumar Bag has been made the secretary of the Saakshar Bharat Mission and district inspector of schools is the drawing and disbursing officer of the Mission in Kalahandi. Bag said that all works related to the programme are about to be completed and the teaching will begin from the last week of June. However, with just 10 months to go for the Mission deadline, locals are apprehending that project might not see the light of the day.