Government announces measures to promote Sindhi language

NEW DELHI: The government today announced a host of measures to promote Sindhi language, including raising manifold the award money meant for chosen writers, providing Rs 1 crore for setting up Sindhi Chair in a Rajasthan university and starting cultural clubs.

The decisions were taken in the first meeting of the newly reconstituted Governing Council of National Council for Promotion of Sindhi Language ( NCPSL) held recently here in which 21 of its members, who are scholars of Sindhi language and culture, attended while HRD Minister Smriti Irani chaired it.

An official statement said today that NCPSL decided to increase the award money from Rs 1 Lakh to 5 Lakh for 'Sahityakar Samman' and 'Sahitya Rachna Samman', which are presented to Sindhi writers for their lifetime contribution to the literature.

"It was also decided in the meeting to provide Rs 1 crore for the establishment of Sindhi Chair in Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati University, Ajmer," it said.

Irani said many other activities will be undertaken for the promotion and development of Sindhi language, including development of e-learning curriculum under which foundation course of the language will be provided free of cost.

"Young and upcoming Sindhi writers will be associated with promotion of the language and their books will be published by the National Book Trust. The books of new writers will be exhibited in the next World Book Fair," it said.

One cultural club in major clusters of Sindhi-speaking people will be opened in which the younger Sindhi generation shall participate in the activities like drama, poetry, writing, acting, plays, music and performing arts, it said, adding that a national competition will be held for these activities.

The task of standardisation of prescribed text books for schools in Sindhi language using Devanagari script will also be undertaken by Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL), the statement said.