Online platform to develop digital vernacular content: President

To develop digital vernacular content and disseminate classic literature in different languages, President Pranab Mukherjee Monday said an online platform "e-Bhasha" will be developed to preserve rich Indian languages.

"Our rich cultural heritage is the very foundation on which rests the unity of our diverse nation. Indian languages are repositories of our rich literature, history, culture, art and other achievements," he said while addressing the joint session of both houses of parliament.

"My government will launch a national mission 'e-Bhasha' that will develop digital vernacular content and disseminate our classic literature in different languages," the president said.

The government will also provide the required resources for the maintenance and restoration of national heritage sites, he said.

There are 30 Unesco World Heritage Sites in India. Of these, 24 are cultural sites and the other six are natural sites.

At least 780 different languages are spoken and 86 different scripts are used in the country.

Because of the growing influence of link-language English, the regional writings are facing continuous threat.