More than one crore people in Odisha are illiterate, School and Mass Education Minister Debi Prasad Mishra said on Thursday.
According to the 2011 census, Odisha has a total population of about 4.2 crore.
Replying to a question of BJP MLA Dillip Ray, he told the assembly that 1.01 crore people -- comprising 32.72 lakh males and 69.27 lakh females -- were illiterate in Odisha.
About 28.96 lakh Scheduled Caste people and 53.73 lakh Scheduled Tribe people were illiterate, who accounted for about 81 percent of the total illiterate people in the state, the minister added.
The state government has targeted providing education to about 27.77 lakh women of 19 districts under the 'Saakshar Bharat Yojana' by March 2017, he said.
Mishra said mid-day meals were being provided in 62,642 schools in the state while Rs.2,969 crore has been spent for the programme in the past four years.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors
Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share
Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor
Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements
Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app