Schoolchildren to get free text books on June 16

Raipur, April 20, 2011

 The schoolchildren from class 1^st to 8^th will get free-of-cost text books on the first day of the fresh academic session on June 16, 2011. In this connection, the Chhattisgarh Text Book Corporation (CTBC) has completed the preparation and has sent the books to its depots in all the district headquarters. The corporation on Wednesday started sending books from depots to the schools. The CTBC chairman Ashok Sharma flagged off one such vehicle carrying text books to the schools of the Raipur district during a programme organised on Wednesday. The programme was presided over by chairman of Chhattisgarh Beverage Corporation (CBC) Devji Bhai Patel.

Sharma said the government had succeeded in linking the students in the rural pockets with literacy by commencing free-of-cost book distribution scheme. He said the scheme would help in making the new generation literate and self-reliant.  

He said even the parents and guardians in the villages had realised the significance of education and they were readily sending their wards to schools. He felt that the responsibility of the CTBC had increased with growing awareness about literacy in villages and the officials had to ensure that the students get books timely in the academic session 2011-2012.

He informed that the corporation had improved the free book distribution procedures. From next academic session, the government will also provide free books to the BPL (below poverty line) students from class 9^th to 12^th, he added.

This year, the CTBC has published over two crore text books to distribute the students, he said. The corporation is also preparing picture story books of great persons about who the new generation is unaware. Presently, the CTBC is making picture story books of eight great persons of Chhattisgarh and soon these books would be provided to the students, Sharma said.

Appreciating the free book distribution scheme, the CBC chairman said the students would really be encouraged when they would get text books on the first day of the academic session.

He said the government had also succeeded in improving the education system which was not organised a couple of years back. There were complaints from the rural areas regarding late or no arrival of free books few years back but now students get books timely, he said.