Calling upon the younger generation to work relentlessly for the future of the country, Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu has said that attaining 100% literacy remains the biggest challenge.
“We are a young nation and 25% of our population is below the age of 25 years but 30% of the people are still illiterate. The governments need to work on reducing the gap. I believe education offers solution to most problems faced by the country,” Mr. Venkaiah Naidu said at the golden jubilee celebrations of the JKC College here on Saturday. Reminiscing the contributions made by Jagarlamudi Chandramouli in establishing the JKC college, he said the founding fathers of the great institution had realised education was the only way to achieve progress in society.
Mr. Naidu, who spoke for over 45 minutes in chaste Telugu, underlined the importance of preserving the language and culture. “Learn English as it is a passport to the world but do not forget your mother tongue. Never forget your roots. Enjoy the sweetness of mother tongue. I have spent three days with my family during Sankranti at Nellore and the Chief Minister also enjoyed at his native village,” Mr. Naidu remarked.
Calling upon the governments to introduce reforms aimed at delivery of welfare schemes directly to beneficiaries, Mr. Naidu said that the Union government had allotted huge sums to agriculture to make it a profitable exercise.
Knowledge hub
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said that the State government had been working to make the State a knowledge hub.
He said that the college had produced many industrialists, politicians and doctors who weare now giving back to the college.
Earlier, Mr. Venkaiah Naidu took part in the golden jubilee celebrations of the Pedanandipadu College of Arts and Science. Justice Lavu Nageswara Rao of the Supreme Court was present.
Ministers Pulla Rao, N. Ananda Babu, Guntur MP Galla Jayadev, Narasaraopet MP Rayapati Sambasiva Rao and Guntur West MLA Modugula Venugopala Reddy were present.
