President Murmu arrives in Ranchi on 3-day Jharkhand visit

Ranchi/Jamshedpur, Dec 28 (PTI) President Droupadi Murmu arrived here on Sunday on a three-day visit to Jharkhand, during which she will attend several programmes in Jamshedpur, Gumla and Ranchi.

Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar and Chief Minister Hemant Soren received her in Ranchi's Birsa Munda International Airport.

Amid tight security, Murmu reached Lok Bhawan where she will stay at the night.

The President will visit Jamshedpur on Monday where she will attend the closing ceremony of the centenary celebrations of the Ol Chiki script of the Santali language and address the 15th convocation ceremony of the National Institute of Technology (NIT).

"She will pay tribute to Pandit Raghunath Murmu, the creator of the Ol Chiki script, by garlanding his bust," All India Santali Writers' Association general secretary Rabindra Murmu said. The governor, the chief minister and TMC MP from Jhargram (West Bengal) and Padmashree recipient Kalipada Soren will also attend the event, he said.

Thereafter, the President will attend the 15th convocation ceremony of NIT Jamshedpur.

Murmu will return to Ranchi to retire for the night at Lok Bhavan.

On Tuesday, she will visit Gumla to address an interstate folk cultural gathering.

Besides Gangwar, Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Juel Oram, Chhattisgarh Governor Ramen Deka and Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, and Jharkhand's Minister of Tribal Affairs Chamra Linda are scheduled to attend the event, an official said.

The President will leave for Delhi on Tuesday after attending a programme in Ranchi.

Massive security arrangements have been made in Ranchi, Jamshedpur and Gumla in view of the President's visit.

In Ranchi, a 200-metre radius 'no-fly zone' for drones, paragliders and hot air balloons has been earmarked from Birsa Munda Airport to Lok Bhavan, covering Hinoo Chowk, Birsa Chowk and Argora Chowk, an official statement said.

This prohibitory order shall remain in force from 6 am on December 28 to 10 pm on December 30.

Traffic curbs have also been imposed in Ranchi for the President's visit.

"In view of the President's visit, the Ranchi district administration has completed all security and administrative preparations," Ranchi Deputy Commissioner Manjunath Bhajantri said in a statement.

Similarly, tight security arrangements have been ensured in Jamshedpur and Gumla. PTI SAN ANB ACD SAN NN