Proposal to conduct Linguistic survey of the country

New Delhi, Dec 5 (UNI) The Government has a proposal to conduct a Linguistic survey of the country and a budgetary provision of Rs 280 crores for this project will be made in the 11th plan period, the Lok Sabha was informed today.

Minister of State for Human Resource Development D Purandeswari said in a written reply that during the 12th plan period an estimated expenditure of Rs 308 crores will be provided for this project.

She said the " Linguistic Survey of India" report is likely to be available after ten years of its commissioning.

There are about 350 languages having fewer than 10,000 speakers, some of which are on the verge of extinction, she said.

She said there is a proposal before Government for a scheme for the protection and development of endangered and smaller languages on the lines of the existing schemes for languages included in the 8th schedule. The Central Institute of Indan Languages, Mysore has worked on documentation of at least 45 minor languages, she added.

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