(a) whether the Government has taken/ proposes to take any steps to use the recognised regional language of a State for the official purposes of the departments, office, enterprises, banks under the jurisdiction of the Central Government situated in that particular State;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) if not, the reasons therefor?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
(SHRI NITYANAND RAI)
(a) to (c): According to Article 343 of the Constitution, the Official Language of the Union is Hindi and the script is Devanagari. According to the Official Language Act, 1963 and Official Languages Rules, 1976, the Central Government is promoting, propagating and implementing the official language Hindi in the Ministries/Departments/Subordinate Offices and Autonomous Bodies under the Central Government.
As far as the use of regional languages in the central government offices are concerned, for the convenience of general public located in Hindi and Non Hindi speaking areas, there is a provision for the use of the regional languages authorized by the State Government in addition to Hindi and English by all the Central Government offices, public sector banks and enterprises on their boards, signages, name plates and direction boards.
******