An initiative by the government aimed at enhancing the functional literacy of gram panchayat (GP) members in Belagavi is gaining momentum, addressing a significant challenge in grassroots governance. Belagavi ranks second in the state after Koppal with 681 non-literate GP members, as per data.
This drive stems from a survey conducted by the Rural Development & Panchayat Raj (RDPR) department in 2022, revealing that out of the 94,000 GP members elected across 6,028 GPs in 2021, 10% (9,550) lacked basic reading and writing skills. Koppal leads with 695 non-literate GP members, followed by Belagavi (681), Yadgir (670), Raichur (650), and Kalaburagi (640), while Kodagu has the lowest count with only 28.
In the initial phase, which commenced in 2022, the ANSSIRD enrolled 4,078 members across 10 districts in the ‘Sakshara Sanmana’ program. This initiative aims to provide 100 hours of educational support over 50 days, focusing on basic Kannada literacy and numeracy skills for GP members.