Tamil Nadu Minister for School Education, Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi on Friday, December 16 said the state would educate five lakh individuals under the National Literacy programme.

According to a report by IANS, the minister, speaking at a public function in Erode, said the state educated 3.15 lakh people under the programme and crossed the set target of 3.10 lakh in the previous year. He said the target for this year was 4.8 lakh and that he was "confident" of overcoming the target and touching the 5 lakh mark. The Tamil Nadu School Education Minister said the scheme would ensure 100% literacy in the state and after this, there was no need to continue the programme.

The minister said Tamil Nadu's literacy rate was at 80% currently, and the 100% mark would be touched with the implementation of various schemes by the state government. Poyyamozhi revealed Chief Minister MK Stalin has allocated Rs 9.83 crore under the National Literacy Programme in Tamil Nadu for providing basic literacy programmes including reading and writing for children and adults alike. 

He said the school education department was conducting 208 types of sports for the students and added that instructions have been given to the School Education Department to not disturb sports periods. Poyyamozhi remarked that increasing the literacy programme was a "social responsibility," according to a report by IANS.