Centre's draft NEP, a commendable objective: Vice-President

: Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday commended the Centre's draft new education policy, saying it encourages philanthropic institutions to enter the field of school education.

Naidu was here to participate in the 150th birth anniversary of noted philanthropist Sri Dharmamurthi Rao Bahadur Calavala Cunnan Chetty.

Noting the society has had many philanthropists in the past, he said there was a need for more charities and trusts to come forward and establish institutions in education and health.

"The government is currently in the process of finalising a New Education Policy. It encourages philanthropic institutions in the field of school education," he said.

Naidu, who is also the Rajya Sabha Chairman, said the move to come out with a new education policy was a commendable objective by the Centre and it must be pursued by all stakeholders.

The draft policy proposes to encourage use of Indian languages in education, by providing quality books in Indian languages and by recruiting language teachers wherever feasible, he said.

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for clean surroundings and to do away with the use of single use plastic in his Independence Day address, Naidu said it is a very welcome appeal.

"As citizens, we must support it and clean our local communities of littered plastics. It will be our humble tribute to Mahatma Gandhi," he said.

Modi in his Independence Day address urged people to shun single-use plastic and encouraged usage of jute and cloth bags to protect the environment.