VILLUPURAM
: Almost half of the
scheduled tribe
(ST) population in
Tamil Nadu are illiterates, according to the statistics based on the 2011 census released by the minister of state for tribal affairs
Renuka Singh Saruta.
Furnishing a written reply to the queries posed by Villupuram MP D Ravikumar in the
Lok Sabha
, the minister said the literacy rate of ST men in Tamil Nadu stood at 54.3% as against the national average of 59% and ST women in the state at 46.8% as against the national average of 49.4%.
Scheduled tribe men in Lakshadweep have the highest literacy rate, at 91.7%, followed by Mizoram (91.5%) and Nagaland (80%), while Andhra Pradesh ST men registered the lowest literacy rate at 48.8%. Scheduled tribe women in Mizoram have the highest literacy rate at 89.5%, followed by Lakshadweep (87.8%). Rajasthan ST women recorded the lowest literacy rate of 37.3%.
Interestingly, Saruta said as per the periodic labour force survey (PLFS) report (July 2019-June 2020) published by the Union statistics and programme implementation ministry, the literacy rate for scheduled tribes in India is 70.6%. "However, state-wise details of literacy rates are not available in PLFS report," the minister of state said.
Saruta, while outlining the steps undertaken by the Union government to increase the literacy rate of tribal women, said the Union education ministry launched 'Saakshar Bharat' in October 2009 to improve the literacy rate of women and other disadvantaged groups. The scheme was extended up to March 31, 2019.
"Thereafter, a new centrally-sponsored scheme of adult education, 'Padhna Likhna Abhiyaan' is being implemented in rural and urban areas of 33 states/UTs from the financial year 2020-21, which will include tribal women," the minister of state said.
Moreover, the Union tribal affairs ministry extends assistance to non-government organizations/voluntary organizations to impart education to ST girls in lowliteracy districts in the country. Saruta also outlined the schemes launched by the Union tribal affairs ministry to promote education including increasing the gross enrolment ratio among STs in the country.
"Further, funds are provided by the ministry interalia for activities related to education sector like the addition to existing building infrastructure, construction of co-ed-residential schools, construction of girls and boys hostels, construction of ashram schools, vocation training centres in residential schools, IT-based education facilities/equipment etc under the scheme of 'special central assistance to tribal sub-scheme and grants under Article 275 (1) of the Constitution of India," Saruta said.
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