CHENNAI: School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, who attended the inauguration of the two-day Porunai Literary Festival in Nellai on behalf of the Tamil Nadu government said that government schools are not a sign of poverty, but a sign of pride.

"They are saying that the ancient name of Thamirabarani river is Porunai. Writers are imaginative. When it comes to the Tirunelveli area, there are people who can give literature without violating the reality that exists here. We are working as a government to establish that government schools, which are not a sign of poverty, but a sign of pride," the minister said at the event.

He added, "Almost 37 thousand 588 schools are under the control of the School Education Department. There are 1 crore 30 lakh students in private and government schools in Tamil Nadu. 1 in 6 of Tamil Nadu's population is a school student."

Earlier, Chief Minister MK Stalin inaugurated the festival today via video.

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