Tamil youth will benefit from NEP, says PM Modi

CHENNAI: Making a strong pitch for the National Education Policy (NEP) that has not found favour in the State, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that it would benefit the youth of Tamil Nadu in fulfilling their educational aspirations in local languages.

After inaugurating and initiating a slew of infrastructure projects worth Rs 31,530 crore, the Prime Minister said, “The policy gives special importance in promoting Indian languages. Under NEP, technical and medical education can be pursued in local languages.

The youngsters of Tamil Nadu will benefit from this.”

Earlier, Modi commenced his speech with lines of Bharathiyar, “Senthamizh Nadenum Pothinile Inba Then Vandhu Payuthu Kaadhinile’’, and extolled the virtues of Tamil language, culture and people, and said the Union government was fully committed to further popularising the language and culture.

He pointed out that the new campus of Central Institute of Classical Tamil, which was inaugurated in Chennai in January, was funded by the Union government, and also the decision to set up the Subramania Bharathi Chair on Tamil studies in Benares Hindu University. “The announcement is special as it is located in my constituency,” Modi said.

Modi said he had recently hosted the Indian Deaflympics contingent, adding it was India’s best performance in the tournament. “Do you know out of the 16 medals, a youngster from TN played a role in 6 of those medals and this is among the best contributions to the team.”

Commenting on the crisis in Sri Lanka, an issue that has resonance in Tamil Nadu, he acknowledged that the public here were concerned about Lankan people. “As a close friend, we are providing all possible support to Sri Lanka. We provide financial support, food, medicines and other essential commodities,” he noted. Stressing on the importance of infrastructure projects like the ones he launched, the Prime Minister said the countries that gave importance to infrastructure – both physical and social – were elevated from being developing to developed countries.

Earlier, Chief Minister MK Stalin, Governor RN Ravi, and AIADMK leaders Edappadi K Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam at Chennai airport and INS Adyar.

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