The North News
Shimla, September 8
Himachal Pradesh has been officially declared a fully literate state, with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu hailing the achievement as a “historic milestone” in the state’s journey since attaining full statehood in 1971. The announcement was made at the International Literacy Day celebrations at Peterhof, Shimla, organised by the Directorate of School Education. Himachal now boasts a literacy rate of 99.3%, well above the national average of 80.9%, and higher than Mizoram, Tripura and Lakshadweep – the other regions previously recognised as fully literate.
Chief Minister Sukhu said the government would now prioritise quality education, unveiling initiatives such as day-boarding schools and English-medium instruction from the first grade. He also launched a plan to bring the state’s remaining 56,960 illiterate citizens into the fold of literacy. “Education has been the cornerstone of Himachal’s progress. Our next step is to focus on qualitative reforms so that our children are better prepared for the future,” he said.
Union Education Secretary Sanjay Kumar also shared a message via video, praising Himachal’s achievement. Separately, the Chief Minister said Prime Minister Narendra Modi would visit disaster-hit regions of the state on Monday. He added that the state assembly had passed a unanimous resolution requesting a central relief package, and a detailed presentation would be made to the Prime Minister in Dharamshala.
“This is a moment of pride for Himachal, but also a time of urgent need. We hope the Prime Minister’s visit will bring the much-needed support for disaster recovery,” Sukhu said.
