Tamil Nadu has become the only state in the country to have achieved its target in the 'Saakshar Bharat' scheme, by educating over 17.25 lakh adults.
Not only did Tamil Nadu educated over 17.25 lakh adults, it also became the only state to have achieved the target in this scheme, an official release said.
Minister of State for Human Resource Development Shashi Tharoor has written to Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa lauding this feat of Tamil Nadu, it said.
The 2001 census had identified over 17.46 lakh men and women as illiterates from Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Salem, Dharmapuri and Erode districts in the state.
Over 6,304 coordinators in 3,152 centres were taking classes on week days between 3 PM and 7 PM for these people, the release said.
The Chief Minister had encouraged more participation of women by introducing classes for soap making, tailoring, cadle making and artificial jewellery making, it added.
A centrally sponsored scheme of Ministry of Human Resource Development, 'Saakshar Bharat' aims to further promote and strengthen adult education, by extending educational options to those adults, who having lost the opportunity of access to formal education and crossed the standard age for receiving such education.