Narendra Modi announces programme for cultural understanding among states

New Delhi: Government is working on a novel initiative under which every state will choose one state each year to promote its culture and language.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced that the 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat' scheme will soon be launched which will bridge the cultural gap in the country and enhance interaction between people living in different states.

"I have formed a small committee which is preparing its modalities," he said addressing a gathering here to mark the National Integration Day on the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. He said the proposed scheme will be implemented in cooperation with states.

"The idea is that each year, one state should connect to any one state in India. Suppose Haryana as a state decides to connect with Tamil Nadu for year 2016, then students in Haryana schools will be taught at least 100 sentences of Tamil language.

"They will be taught one song in Tamil. There can be food festival, tours of people of Haryana to Tamil Nadu and vice versa. In year 2017, Haryana would connect to any other state and in 2018 another state. This will bring understanding about India's unity and diversity," the Prime Minister said.

Modi gave the example of former President late A P J Abdul Kalam who had once said that he could better understand the diversity of the country in his first train journey between Rameshwaram and Delhi.

He had said that the experience gave him more insight into the culture and diversity than any book on the subject.