(a) whether the Government is providing various facilities to the Classical language
including Telugu and Tamil for their development and propagation;
(b) if so, the details thereof during the Eleventh Plan, language-wise; and
(c) if not, the reasons therefor?
MINISTER OF HOUSING URBAN POVERTY ALLEVIATION AND MINISTER OF CULTURE(KUMARI SELJA)
(a) to (c) In pursuance of the Government’s decision (of 31.10.2008) to classify
Telugu and Kannada as ‘Classical Languages’, the Ministry of Human Resource Development
has already taken follow-up action and have sent the draft Standing Finance Committee(SFC)
Note to the Planning Commission for obtaining their ‘in-principle’ approval relating to the
grant of annual international awards for scholars of eminence in Classical Kannada and
Classical Telugu along with setting up of a Centre of Excellence for Studies in Classical
Kannada and Classical Telugu at Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysore.
As regards Classical Tamil, consequent upon classification of Tamil as a Classical language
in October, 2004, a Central Plan Scheme for development of Tamil was entrusted to the Central
Institute of Indian Languages, Mysore, in July, 2005. Thereafter, the Union Cabinet approved
the setting up of Central Institute of Classical Tamil (CICT), Chennai, in January, 2008,
which formally started functioning on 30.6.2008. The main schemes under the CICT are Awards,
ten major projects, Fellowships, Grant in Aid for Short term projects, Programmes
(Meetings, Workshops, Training and Seminars), Library, Publications (Newsletter, Books
& CDs) in addition to having its own website. The Government of India has provision of
Presidential Awards for Classical Tamil language. The amount spent on Classical Tamil
during 2005-06 is Rs. 0.46 crore, 2006-07 is Rs. 2.82 crore, 2007-08 is Rs. 4.01 crore,
2008-09 is Rs. 4.47 crore, 2009-10 is Rs. 8.61 crore, and 2010-11 is Rs. 8.89 crore
(till 15th February 2011).
The Government is already propagating Sanskrit, a classical language through three Deemed
Central Sanskrit Universities viz. Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan (RSKS), New Delhi, Shri Lal
Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth (SLBSRSV), New Delhi, and Rashtriya Sanskrit
Vidyapeeth (RSV), Tirupati.The Government is having a scheme of Presidential Awards for
certificate of Honour to the scholars of Sanskrit.