Nagpur: Nagpur Zilla Parishad's innovative rural education initiative, Project DREAM (Dedicated Reading Rooms for Empowerment, Awareness & Motivation), has received national recognition after being featured on a special cover issued by the India Post Department.
The prestigious inclusion on the India Post special cover is expected to bring nationwide attention to the project, which aims to promote reading habits, educational awareness, personality development, and digital literacy among students and rural communities.
Launched last year under the vision of Nagpur Zilla Parishad Chief Executive Officer, Vinayak Mahamuni, Project DREAM has transformed unused or underutilized buildings across villages into modern, technology-enabled libraries. So far, 103 state-of-the-art libraries have been established across Nagpur district under the initiative.
The libraries are equipped with books covering competitive examinations, academics, literature, novels, and general knowledge. In addition, each facility provides computers and smart TVs, enabling students and young people to access educational content, online learning resources, and competitive exam preparation materials free of cost.
According to Vedant Pathak, who is associated with the project through the Chief Minister Fellowship Programme, the initiative has received an overwhelming response from rural youth. Plans are already underway to establish similar modern libraries in another 100 villages across the district.
Recognizing the project's impact on rural education and community development, the India Post Department selected Project DREAM for its special commemorative cover series. These special covers, similar to commemorative postal issues, are distributed across the country and are highly valued by philatelists and stamp collectors.
The special cover was formally released at the Nagpur General Post Office during a ceremony jointly organized by India Post and Nagpur Zilla Parishad. The event was attended by CEO Vinayak Mahamuni, Additional CEO Dr. Kamalkishore Futane, Deputy CEO Kapil Kalode, Primary Education Officer Nilesh Gund, Deputy Education Officer Nikhil Bhuyar, Chief Minister Fellow Vedant Pathak, and Senior Postmaster Sujitkumar Landge, along with officials from both departments.
The recognition is being viewed as a major achievement for Nagpur Zilla Parishad's efforts to bridge the educational and digital divide in rural Maharashtra and could serve as a model for similar initiatives across the country.
