Question : VIOLATION OF OFFICIAL LANGUAGE ACT

(a) The guidelines laid down by the Government to implement the Official Language Act;

(b)Whether the targets set to implement the official language policy had not been met by various Government organizations/departments ;

(c) If so, the details of organizations/departments which have not been able to achieve the said target in the year 2005-06 ;

(d)Whether the Government has received any complaints regarding violation of official language policy during each of the last three years ;

(e) If so, the details thereof alongwith the action taken against them; and

(f) The concrete steps taken by the Government to implement the official language policy ?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI MANIKRAO H. GAVIT)

(a) In the Annual Programme issued every year by the Department of Official Language directions are given for compliance of section 3(3) of the Official Languages Act.

(b) Many Government organisations/departments have not been able to achieve the targets fully. However, utmost efforts are made by them to achieve the targets set in the Annual Programme issued every year by the Department of Official Language for transacting the official work of the Union in Hindi.

(c) As per the information available with the Department of Official Language, a list of those Ministries /Departments, Public Sector Undertakings, Banks etc; who could not achieve the main targets for the year 2005-06, is enclosed.

(d) Yes Sir, as many as 58 complaints have been received during the last three years (2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06).

(e) These complaints mainly relate to the advertisements not being issued bilingually, letter heads, rubber stamps, forms etc. not being made bilingual, reply to Hindi letters being given in English etc.. These complaints were taken up with the concerned Ministries/Departments/Offices and were asked to take corrective measures.

(f) With a view to reviewing the official work done in various Government offices and to work more efficiently Committee of Parliament on Official Language, Kendriya Hindi Samiti, Hindi Salahakar Samities in Ministries/Departments, Central Official Language Implementation Committee, Official Language Implementation Committees and Town Official Language Implementation Committees have been constituted. Besides this, the Quarterly Progress Reports relating to the use of Hindi received from the Ministries, Departments, Offices are reviewed and inspections regarding Official Language are also carried out. The concerned offices are given directions to make up the deficiencies found in the implementation of Official Language Policy. As the policy of the Government is to increase the use of Official Language Hindi through inspiration, incentives and goodwill, therefore, many incentive and award schemes have also been implemented by the Government.