President Pranab Mukherjee has asked for greater involvement of the society in achieving higher literacy targets. Addressing the International Literacy Day function in New Delhi today, Mr Mukherjee said, literacy alone can bring development, empowerment and sustainability and achieve desired goals set under the Saakshar Bharat and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan programmes. <br/><br/>Reminding the UNESCO slogan of each one teach one, the President said, without literacy, India cannot claim its pride of place among the comity of nations. He said, India is way behind many sister developing countries in South Asia and needs to step up its efforts.<br/> <br/>Mr Mukherjee also stressed on reducing the gender gap in literacy in order to achieve the goal of women empowerment. He said, the gender gap in literacy should not be more than 10 per cent.<br/><br/>Speaking on the occasion, Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani said that the government has set a target of achieving 100 percent literacy in villages adopted under the Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana by March 2016. She said, her Ministry has written to the members of Parliament in this regard. <br/><br/>Noting that there are 410 districts where villages have identified under the Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana, Ms. Irani expressed confidence of accomplishing the target. She also urged volunteers and officials of Sakshar Bharat to include gender issues in their teachings. She said, true education must include respect for women at home and in the society.