Chennai, Oct 13 (IANS): Tamil Nadu School education department has allotted an amount of Rs 9.8 crore under the New India Literacy Programme (NILP) and the project is aimed to benefit 4.8 lakh people in the state.

The project, according to the school education department officials, will be implemented through the Tamil Nadu Directorate of Non-Formal and Adult Education.

The scheme is launched for imparting basic literacy among adults and the idea is to ensure that every adult knows how to read and write.

As per 2011 census, 86 per cent of the men in the state have basic literacy and 73 per cent of women know how to read and write.

Tamil Nadu School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi told IANS, "In Tamil Nadu, around 50 lakh adults don't know how to read and write and we are targeting at least 50 per cent of this population to be able to read and write. In 2021-22, we targeted 3 lakh people and achieved it and during 2022-23 we are planning to equip 4.8 lakh adults, with reading and writing skills and we hope to achieve that without any difficulties."

The programme will roll out for the 2022-23 financial year from the Vellore district and the school education department is planning to equip 10,820 people in the district with basic literacy.