Mizoram becomes India’s first fully literate state under ULLAS initiative
Aizawl: In a landmark achievement for India’s educational landscape, Mizoram has officially been declared the country’s first fully literate state under the ULLAS (Understanding Lifelong Learning for All in Society) initiative.
The announcement was made on Tuesday at the Mizoram University Auditorium in Aizawl by Chief Minister Lalduhoma, in the presence of Union Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary.
Mizoram, which recorded a literacy rate of 91.3% in the 2011 Census, was able to bridge the remaining gap through targeted efforts under ULLAS and the Nav Bharat Saksharta Karyakram. These programmes reportedly identified and educated the remaining non-literate individuals in the state.
As per the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2023–24, Mizoram now boasts a literacy rate of 98.2%, surpassing the 95% threshold set by the Ministry of Education to qualify as fully literate.
“It is a transformational milestone, one that speaks to the collective will, discipline, and vision of our people,” the chief minister said. Lalduhoma added that the state’s next goal is to move beyond basic literacy and empower its citizens with digital, financial, and entrepreneurial skills for a more inclusive and holistic educational future.
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Conspiracy afoot to 'tarnish' image of Dharmasthala: Deputy CM DK Shivakumar
Bengaluru, Aug 14 (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Thursday said there was a “conspiracy” to tarnish the image of Dharmasthala.
His comments come amid an ongoing investigation by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) into serious allegations of mass burials in the revered temple town in Dakshina Kannada district.
“A conspiracy is being hatched to destroy hundreds of years of legacy. It is not correct to tarnish someone just like that. It has all happened due to one complainant,” he said.
Noting that some Congress MLAs have called for action against those involved in the slander campaign at the legislature party meeting, he said, “ I have told them that action must be taken against those who are indulging in a slander campaign. The CM has also said that action must be taken against such people.”
“I have information on this case. Religious feelings should not be hurt in any manner. Culprits must be punished,” he told reporters, according to a release from his office.
Responding to a question, Shivakumar said the Congress party will not allow the image of any religious place to be tarnished.
“We see everyone equally when it comes to religion,” he added.
The SIT, formed by the state government, is probing claims of mass murder, rape, and mass burials in Dharmasthala over the past two decades.
The complainant, a former sanitation worker whose identity has not been revealed, alleged that between 1995 and 2014 he was forced to handle bodies—including women and minors—and that some showed signs of sexual assault. He has given a statement before a magistrate.
As part of the probe, the SIT has been conducting exhumations at multiple locations identified by the complainant-witness in the forested areas along the banks of the Netravathi River in Dharmasthala, where some skeletal remains have been found at two sites so far.
