1. Saaskshar Bharat(2009) Suresh Singha Presented by
Department of Life-long Learning
University of Kalyani

2. Saaskshar Bharat(2009)
“Our objective should be to bring the literacy rate not only on par with the world average but to the levels attained by the leading societies of the world.”
Shri Pranab Mukherjee, Hon’ble President of India on ‘International Literacy Day’ 8th September, 2014

3. I. Introduction
Saakshar Bharat, a centrally sponsored scheme was launched on the International Literacy Day, 8th September, 2009 to create a literate society through a variety of teaching learning programmes for non-literate and neo- literate of 15 years and above.[1]
It aims to recast India’s National Literacy Mission to focus on literacy of women, which is expected to increase the literate population by 70 million adults, including 60 million women.[2]
The National Literacy Mission covered 597 districts under Total Literacy Campaign, 485 districts under Post Literacy Programme and 328 districts under Continuing Education Programme. As per 2001 census, over 127 million adults have been made literate of which 60% were women, 23% were SC and 12% were ST.[3]
Whilst the 2011 census showed that India´s literacy has reached 74.04%, an increase of 9.2% from the 2001 census, the literacy rate of women continues to be significantly lower at 65.46%, compared to men’s rate of 82.14%. The programme´s focus is on reducing this gender disparity and thereby achieving the government´s target of 80% national literacy.[4]

4. II. Goals of Saakshar Bharat
To raise literacy rate to 80%,
To reduce gender gap to 10% and
Minimize regional and social disparities, with focus on Women, SCs, STs, Minorities, other disadvantaged groups.
All those districts that had female literacy rate below 50% (as per census 2001) including Left Wing Extremism affected districts (irrespective of literacy level) are being covered under the programme.
III.  Objectives
The Mission has four broad objectives, namely:
Impart functional literacy and numeracy to non-literate and non-numerate adults
Enable the neo-literate adults to continue their learning beyond basic literacy and acquire equivalency to formal educational system
Impart non and neo-literates relevant skill development programmes to improve their earning and living conditions
Promote a learning society by providing opportunities to neo literate adults for continuing education

5. Category wise Targets under Literacy Programme (Millions)
IV. Targets
The principal target of the mission is to impart functional literacy to 70 million adults in the age group of 15 years and beyond. Auxiliary target of the mission is to cover 1.5 million adults under basic education programme and equal number under vocational (skill development) programme. Within these targets, the Mission will primarily focus on, but not limited to, women. Schedules Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) Minorities, other disadvantaged groups and adolescents in rural areas in low literacy States will be other focused groups. For each focused group and area, there will be a specific target and for each target, an explicit approach and strategy.
Category wise Targets under Literacy Programme (Millions)
Category
Male
Female
Total SC 4 10 14 ST 2 6 8
MUSLIMS 12
OTHERS 34 36
TOTAL 60 70

6. Uttar Dinajpur District Population, Caste, Religion Data (West Bengal) - Census 2011
Uttar Dinajpur district of West Bengal has total population of 3,007,134 as per the Census Out of which 1,551,066 are males while 1,456,068 are females. In there were total 605,674 families residing in Uttar Dinajpur district. The Average Sex Ratio of Uttar Dinajpur district is 939.
As per Census 2011 out of total population, 12% people lives in Urban areas while 88% lives in the Rural areas. The average literacy rate in urban areas is 80.3% while that in the rural areas is 56%. Also the Sex Ratio of Urban areas in Uttar Dinajpur district is 921 while that of Rural areas is 941.
The population of Children of age 0-6 years in Uttar Dinajpur district is which is 16% of the total population. There are male children and female children between the age 0-6 years. Thus as per the Census 2011 the Child Sex Ratio of Uttar Dinajpur is 953 which is greater than Average Sex Ratio (939) of Uttar Dinajpur district.
The total literacy rate of Uttar Dinajpur district is 59.07%. The male literacy rate is % and the female literacy rate is 43.69% in Uttar Dinajpur district.
Sex Ratio
939
Literacy
59.07%
Population
3,007,134

7. Caste-wise Population - Uttar Dinajpur distrct
Uttar Dinajpur Data as per Census 2011
As per the Population Census 2011 data, following are some quick facts about Uttar Dinajpur district.
Total
Male
Female
Children (Age 0-6)
485,157
208,402
236,755
Leteracy
59.07%
55.03%
43.69%
Schedule caste
807,950
418,288
389,662
Schedule tribe
162,916
81,831
80,985
Illiterate
697,571
819,896
Caste-wise Population - Uttar Dinajpur distrct
Schedule Caste (SC) constitutes 26.9% while Schedule Tribe (ST) were 5.4% of total population in Uttar Dinajpur district of West Bengal.
Total
Male
Female
Schedule caste
807,950
418,288
389,662
Schedule tribe
162,816
81,831
80,985

8. Religion-wise Population - Uttar Dinajpur district
Total
Male
Female
Hindu
1,482,943
768,309
714,634
Muslim
1,501,170
771,198
729,972
Christian
16,702
8,307
8,395
Sikh
477
288
189
Buddhist
432
219
213
Jain
1,324
689
635
Other religion
1,622
805
817
No religion specified
2,464
1,251
1,213

9. Sex Ratio - Uttar Dinajpur district
Literacy Rate - Uttar Dinajpur district
The total literacy rate of Uttar Dinajpur district was 59.07% in 2011 which is less than average literacy rate 76.26% of West Bengal. Population-wise, out of total 1,489,667 literates, males were 853,495 while females were 636,172. Also the male literacy rate was 65.52% and the female literacy rate was 52.17% in Uttar Dinajpur district.
Uttar Dinajpur District
West Bengal
Female
52.17
70.54%
Male
65.52%
81.69%
Total
59.07%
76.26%
Sex Ratio - Uttar Dinajpur district
The Sex Ratio of Uttar Dinajpur district is Thus for every 1000 men there were 939 females in Uttar Dinajpur district. Also as per Census 2011, the Child Sex Ration was 953 which is greater than Average Sex Ratio ( 939 ) of Uttar Dinajpur district.
Population Density - Uttar Dinajpur district
The total area of Uttar Dinajpur district is 3,140 km2. Thus the density of Uttar Dinajpur district is 958 people per square kilometer. As per the initial provisional data of Census 2011, around 65 sq. km. area is under urban region while 3,075 sq. km. is under rural region.

10. Urban/Rural Population - Uttar Dinajpur district
As per the Census 2011 out of total population of Uttar Dinajpur, 12.05% people lived in urban regions while 87.95% in rural areas. The total figure of population of urban population was 362,228 out of which 188,597 were males while remaining 173,631 were females. In rural areas of Uttar Dinajpur, male population was 1,362,469 while female population was 1,282,437.
The average sex ratio in urban regions of Uttar Dinajpur was 921 females per males. Also the Child (0-6 age) sex ration of urban areas in Uttar Dinajpur was 955 girls per 1000 boys. Thus the total children (0-6 age) living in urban areas of Uttar Dinajpur were 42,879 which is 11.84% of total urban population. Similarly the average sex ratio in rural areas of Uttar Dinajpur was 941 females per 1000 males. The Child sex ratio of rural areas in Uttar Dinajpur was 953 girls per 1000 boys.
The average literacy rate in Uttar Dinajpur for urban regions was percent in which males were 83.91% literate while female literacy stood at 76.32%. The total literate population of Uttar Dinajpur was 1,489,667. Similarly in rural areas of Uttar Dinajpur, the average literacy rate was percent. Out of which literacy rate of males and females stood at 62.82% and 48.72% respectively. Total literates in rural areas of Uttar Dinajpur were 1,233,289.

11. Child Population - Uttar Dinajpur district
Rural
Urban
Population%
87.95%
12.05%
Total population
2,644,906
362,228
Male population
1,362,479
188,597
Female population
1,282,437
173,631
Sex ratio
941
921
Child sex ratio(0.6 age)
953
955
Child population
442,278
42,879
Literates
1,233,289
256,378
Average literacy
55.99%
80.28%
Male literacy
62.82%
83.91%
Female literacy
48.72%
76.32%
Child Population - Uttar Dinajpur district
According to Census 2011, there were 485,157 children between age 0 to 6 years in Uttar Dinajpur district. Out of which 248,402 were male while 236,755 were female.

12. Working Population - Uttar Dinajpur district
In Uttar Dinajpur district out of total population, 1,075,626 were engaged in work activities. 76.6% of workers describe their work as Main Work (Employment or Earning more than 6 Months) while 23.4% were involved in Marginal activity providing livelihood for less than 6 months. Of 1,075,626 workers engaged in Main Work, 226,346 were cultivators (owner or co-owner) while 294,195 were Agricultural labourer.
Total
Male
Female
Main workers
824,342
688,769
135,573
Cultivators
226,346
211,115
15,231
Agriculture Labourer
294,195
283,667
55,528
Household Industries
21,947
10,091
11,856
Other Workers
281,854
228,896
52,958
Marginal Workers
251,284
110,858
140,426
Non Working
1,931,508
751,439
1,180,069

13. Thank you