Modi govt to spread its message in regional languages

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government has decided to make accessible speeches of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and government press releases on its policies and programmes in as many of the 22 officials languages of India as possible. The attempt is an effort to go beyond Hindi and English speaking audience to build a positive perception about the government among those who speak regional languages.

Currently, the Press Information Bureau (PIB), which is an arm of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, and headquartered in New Delhi, issues government- related press releases on important cabinet decisions as well as text of the speeches of the PM only in Hindi and English.

Other than these two languages, the PIB regional centres in Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai and Aizawl have websites that post press releases in the respective state language. But lack of resources and trained manpower at these centres has meant the endeavour remains perfunctory.

Now, the PIB, after the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) mooted the idea, is working on augmenting personnel strength and budgetary allocations of its regional centres to employ language experts to help start a multi-lingual website. To start with, the website will offer PM’s speeches and other information related to government policies and programmes in three regional languages. But sources said it will eventually encompass all 22 official languages listed in the eighth schedule of the Constitution.

To draw up a plan and understand resource requirement, PIB Director General Frank Noronha held a meeting with his regional heads on July 23 and 24. A similar plan to make the Prime Minister’s website, pmindia.nic.in, is also afoot. Currently, the website offers only the Hindi and English versions.