The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Voluntary organisations urged to spread literacy

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 27, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Voluntary organisations urged to spread literacy

Special Correspondent

They should also have long-term projects for uplift of poor: Barnala

RECONSTRUCTION OF SCHOOLS: Governor Surjit Singh Barnala receiving a book containing details of the agreement signed by Round Table India with Collectors, in Chennai on Tuesday. RTI president Shivkumar Eashwaran (left) and National Project Convenor Sakthivel Raja are in the picture.

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Governor Surjit Singh Barnala has appealed to voluntary organisations to supplement the Government’s efforts at creating awareness of literacy, health and sanitation.

Mr. Barnala, who was the chief guest at a ceremony to mark the completion of Round Table India’s Operation Tsunami, said he was confident that the spread of literacy and reducing the number of school dropouts would help the nation achieve total literacy. “This can be achieved only by the combined efforts … by the Government and the non-governmental organisations.” The Governor said voluntary organisations should have a mission and long-term projects for the uplift of the poor and the needy, especially in rural areas.

Mission lauded

Commending the Round Table Indiaa non-profit, non-political, non-sectarian voluntary organisation, for its mission to educate at least 1 million children through its pilot project “Freedom Through Education,” he said it was laudable that the Round Table had constructed 1,000 classrooms in schools at a cost of Rs.75 crore benefiting half-a-million children in the past eight years.

The Governor said he was happy that the RTI partnered with the Government of India under the “Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan” and built 300 classrooms, and planned to build over 1,000 classrooms at an estimated cost of Rs.25 crore for the benefit of six lakh children.

Tie-up

The RTI had signed memoranda of understanding with various district administrations for reconstruction of 126 schools at a cost of Rs. six crore in the tsunami districts of Chennai, Kancheepuram, Thiruvallur, Villupuram, Cuddalore and Nagapattinam. Mr. Barnala distributed partnership awards and citations to those behind the ceremony.

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