Soreng hosts first District Monitoring Committee meeting on ULLAS – Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram

The District Administrative Centre in Soreng on Thursday became the venue for an important step towards the goal of making Sikkim a fully literate state. The first meeting of the District Monitoring Committee for the ULLAS – Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram was held under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Soreng, Mr. Dhiraj Subedi. The meeting was conducted in hybrid mode, where some members joined through video conferencing while others attended physically at the centre.

The ULLAS – Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram is a flagship programme of the Government of India aimed at providing basic literacy, numeracy, and essential life skills to all citizens above 15 years of age who are either non-literate or neo-literate. The programme is particularly focused on empowering women, Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), minority groups, persons with disabilities, and other disadvantaged communities. What makes the programme unique is its principle of voluntarism, which means that voluntary teachers and community members come forward to contribute their time and effort in spreading literacy and awareness.

Addressing the gathering, DC Mr. Dhiraj Subedi extended a warm welcome to all participants and reminded them of the vision of the Chief Minister of Sikkim, Mr. Prem Singh Tamang. The Chief Minister has set an ambitious goal of making Sikkim a fully literate state by May 16, 2026. Mr. Subedi stressed that literacy should not be seen only as the ability to read and write, but as a larger concept that also includes life skills that can empower individuals in their daily lives. He said that effective implementation of the programme in every village and community of the district will be essential in turning this vision into reality.

The DC further urged officers and officials of all concerned departments to work in close coordination with the District Administration. He underlined that the role of voluntary teachers will be crucial, and therefore, their active participation must be ensured. He also pointed out that learners must be encouraged and motivated through community-level engagement, and regular monitoring will be necessary at every stage. “Community involvement is the key to success,” he said, adding that literacy cannot be achieved through official programmes alone but must be embraced by society at large.

During the meeting, Mr. Subedi also reviewed other important initiatives being implemented in the district. These included the Thumb-free Impression initiative, known locally as Thapchay Mukth Abhiyaan, which is aimed at reducing dependency on thumb impressions by promoting signatures among citizens, and the Prime Minister’s Muft Bijli Yojana, which is focused on providing free electricity to households. The DC instructed the Block Development Officers (BDOs) to ensure that instructions already issued on these initiatives are complied with in a timely manner and that guidelines are followed strictly.

The meeting also included an open discussion session where members shared strategies and ideas on how to strengthen enrolment of learners under the literacy programme. Participants spoke about the importance of building strong motivation at the grassroots level and finding ways to make the teaching-learning process more effective and engaging. Suggestions were made to organise community awareness drives, encourage youth participation as volunteer teachers, and involve local institutions in spreading the message of literacy.

Officials present at the meeting included Additional District Collector-I (ADC-I) Mr. D.R. Bista, ADC (Development) Mr. Gaayas Pegha, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (HQ) Mr. Prem K. Subba, Assistant Education Officer (AEO) Mr. Govind Dhakal, and all Block Development Officers of Soreng district. Their presence underlined the importance being placed on this programme and the seriousness with which the district administration is approaching the literacy mission.

The ULLAS – Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram is part of the national effort to achieve universal literacy. By focusing on adults and disadvantaged groups, the programme seeks to ensure that no one is left behind in the journey of education. For Soreng district, the launch of the monitoring committee marks the beginning of a coordinated effort to implement the programme in every corner of the district.