Chandigarh, March 10 Chandigarh has achieved a literacy rate of 99.93 per cent, becoming a fully literate Union Territory, an official statement issued on Tuesday said.
The Education Department of the Chandigarh Administration organized a felicitation ceremony for newly literate individuals under the ULLAS-Nav Saksharon ka Alankaran Samaroh to mark the achievement.
A newly literate person is an adult or adolescent who has recently acquired basic reading, writing, and numeracy skills, often through non-formal education or adult literacy programs.
Punjab Governor and Union Territory Chandigarh Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria attended the event as the chief guest, while Chief Secretary H Rajesh Prasad was the guest of honour.
Addressing the gathering, Kataria described the achievement as a historic moment for Chandigarh.
He said the success achieved under the ULLAS program helped the city surpass the 95 per cent literacy benchmark set under the National Education Policy 2020.
With this accomplishment, Chandigarh has become the sixth state/Union Territory in the country and the second Union Territory to achieve full literacy, the statement said.
Kataria said Chandigarh's literacy rate has increased from 93.7 per cent to 99.93 per cent, with 15,556 citizens participating in the program and 14,711 passing the literacy assessment.
He also highlighted a rise in women's literacy from 90.7 per cent to 99.89 per cent, describing it as a significant step towards women's empowerment.
The governor credited the achievement to the collective efforts of the Chandigarh Administration, the Education Department, teachers, volunteers, NGOs, and social organizations who worked tirelessly to reach non-literate citizens.
He also congratulated the newly literate individuals who gained both academic and digital literacy through the program.
Emphasizing that literacy is the beginning of lifelong learning, he said education will play a crucial role in achieving the vision of "Viksit Bharat 2047."
He encouraged citizens to continue learning and contribute to building a knowledge-driven and progressive society.