Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu will today felicitate functionaries of Panchayats of Jharkhand having attained total literacy. The function will be held at Prabhat Tara ground under HEC area in Ranchi in the evening. Functionaries from 568 panchayats including panchayat heads, motivators, volunteers and newly literate will be felicitated.<br/><br/>AIR correspondent reports that Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu will arrive on two day visit to Ranchi this afternoon, where he will also lay foundation stone of proposed Greenfield Smart City in 656 acres of land at HEC area of Ranchi.<br/>'<br/>State Governor Draupadi Murmu, Chief Minister Raghuwar Das and many of state Cabinet Ministers will be present in these two functions.

Today is International Literacy Day. The day is observed every year on 8th September to emphasize the importance of literacy to individuals, society and communities. The theme of this year's International Literacy Day, is 'Literacy in a Digital World'. The 2017 UNESCO International Literacy Prizes awards ceremony will also take place to recognize and reward excellent literacy practices from around the world in connection with this year's theme. <br/>'<br/> Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu today presented the Saakshar Bharat Awards at an event organized to mark International Literacy Day in New Delhi. The awards were given to the best performing State, Districts, Gram Panchayats and NGOs. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Naidu said, a country can not be called developed unless it is literate. He said, a life is incomplete without education and it is crucial for any nation's progress. The Vice President said, India still have the challenge to achieve 100 per cent literacy. He said, education empowers people and it is an ammunition to fight discrimination and injustice.<br/><br/>Addressing the gathering, Human Resources Development Minister Prakash Javadekar said, Government will launch School Chalo Campaign next year for children who are not able to attend schools due to various reasons. The Minister said, literacy rate in the country has reached upto 81 per cent from 74 percent during 2011 Census. It was 18 percent when India got independence. <br/>'<br/>Ministers of State Upendra Kushwaha, Dr Satyapal Singh, Secretary Anil Swarup and Country Representative of UNESCO was present on the occasion.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu will today felicitate functionaries of Panchayats of Jharkhand having attained total literacy. The function will be held at Prabhat Tara ground under HEC area in Ranchi in the evening. Functionaries from 568 panchayats including panchayat heads, motivators, volunteers and newly literate will be felicitated.<br/><br/>AIR correspondent reports that Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu will arrive on two day visit to Ranchi this afternoon, where he will also lay foundation stone of proposed Greenfield Smart City in 656 acres of land at HEC area of Ranchi.<br/>'<br/>State Governor Draupadi Murmu, Chief Minister Raghuwar Das and many of state Cabinet Ministers will be present in these two functions.