Speaking on the occasion, Human Resource Development minister Murli ManoharJoshi called for effective government-industry partnership to achieve`social capital' and `Jan Shikshan Sansthan' in a time-bound programme. Thepartnership should secure the objective of literate and skilled humanresource both as a value and wealth in itself and as also the most crucialinput for development, he added.

Pointing out that the literacy rate of 68 per cent as estimated in 1999 is asignificant achievement, he emphasised upon the need to consolidate ourachievements and to ensure that no neo-literate person falls back intoilliteracy.

Steps have been already undertaken in that direction. Under the continuingeducation scheme, the government is giving funds to the state governments toset up continuing education centres for a population of 2,000-2,500, saidthe minister.

These centres are focal points, he said, where in addition to theestablishment of libraries and imparting education to illiterates,programmes for improving the quality of life, skill development and incomegeneration are undertaken.

He emphasised that the industry with its vast available infrastructure andmanpower can become a very useful partner in this effort. Continuingeducation centres could be set up within the industry premises, which wouldbenefit the workers and their families. Thereafter, villages around the areacould be adopted, and the available government infrastructure strengthenedwith both moral and physical support, he added.

Assuring Assocham's full support to the government's National LiteracyMission in bringing up non-literates to a level of self-reliance in thethree Rs, the chamber president Shekhar Bajaj added that its members wouldendeavour to impart skills that would improve the non-literates' economicstatus and well-being by improving their employability.

``Let us create a Rs 50-100 crore Total Literacy Fund with 50:50 partnershipbetween the government and the industry for making India fully literate, bysay, 2005,'' he added.

The industry's interest is guided by more than philanthropy. Underlining theconvergence of interests between the industry and literate employees, KamalMeattle, chairman of the Assocham's expert committee on human resourcedevelopment, it is not just the task of the government, but also an equalresponsibility of the industry to provide literacy, training and skills toour workmen that we employ because, in today's environment, basic knowledgeand literacy are essential for survival.

Elaborating upon the reasons, he added that better trained and literateworkers are productive assets in the long run. Saying that today evenmanufacturing and non-manufacturing companies employ sophisticated and veryexpensive technology, he pointed out that one cannot leave thesetechnologies in the hands of the untrained and the illiterate. ``Literacyand training will, therefore, not only make our manpower wiser but alsoconfident and competent for growth within and outside our organisations.''Noble-and profitable-intentions indeed! Only if these could translate intoactions.