Not using Marathi for official communication? No increment: Maharashtra government

Mumbai, July 01: The Maharashtra government has directed all its local authorities, departments, employees and officers to mandatorily use Marathi language in official business and communication.

On Monday, the state government asked all the department heads to take actions such as warning, mentioning it in the confidential reports, issuing strictures and withholding annual increment as a punishment against the staff found deliberately not using Marathi language in official business.

However, the circular was issued by the Marathi language department.

In a circular, the state government said, "Many departments are still issuing circular, government resolutions etc in English language. Websites of many departments are also only in English language. Similarly, many municipal corporations are issuing notices, letters, applications and samples only in English. Complaints in this regard have been raised by the public representatives time and again."

Earlier, the instructions to all the department heads on using Marathi in all the official business were issued. However, the officials are again directed to strictly implement the instructions and take necessary action against those who are found not following the instructions.

Also, during the budget session of the state assembly in February, the government had passed a law making Marathi language a mandatory subject in schools.

Marathi Language Minister Subhash Desai and Education Minister Varshan Gaikwad reviewed the progress in this regard in a meeting in May. It is also said that Marathi language will become a compulsory subject from the academic year 2020-21 for classes 1 to 6 in schools of different mediums and education boards across the state.

It can also be seen that Maharashtra is not the only state that has made its state language mandatory for official communication and compulsory for students. Several southern states, such as Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka and Kerala have made their languages mandatory in schools.