As President Pranab Mukherjee completed his first year in office on Thursday, he focused on education and health care, while interacting with governors across the country through a new video conferencing facility from Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Keeping with the protocol, Mukhrejee first dialled Governor of Andhra Pradesh ESL Narasimhan who is the doyen among governors. Narasimhan also presided over the governors’ conference.

The facility has been installed by the National Informatics Centre.

Mukherjee indicated that he would have video conferences with governors on every second Thursday until the logistics were worked out. From September onwards, the conferencing will also be extended to the pro-chancellors of the 43 central universities of India.

With this new technology, the President might be saving to the exchequer an estimated Rs 50 crore per year -- by not physically travelling to the states.

Photograph: President Pranab Mukherjee interacting with governors across the country through video conferencing at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.

Photo courtesy: presidentofindia.nic.in