Leh: Advisor Ladakh, Dr Pawan Kotwal, led a crucial meeting on Friday to discuss the usage of Rajbhasha (official language) and the implementation of related Acts, rules, and guidelines by the Department of Official Languages, Government of India, in the Union Territory of Ladakh.
During the meeting, Commissioner Secretary of the General Administration Department (GAD), Ladakh, Ajeet Sahu, provided an update on the status of Rajbhasha implementation and shared the observations of the central inspection committee that recently visited Ladakh.
In response, various strategies were suggested to encourage the use of Hindi and achieve the set targets. This included conducting training programs, leveraging electronic tools and books to promote work in Rajbhasha Hindi.
Advisor Dr Kotwal emphasized the importance of 100% compliance with the prescribed directions and urged all Administrative Secretaries to ensure its implementation.
To facilitate this, he directed the issuance of public notices, government policies, application forms, official signages, and other relevant documents in both Hindi and English. The meeting also explored the bilingualization of departmental websites.
Addressing the need for a dedicated Rajbhasha Vibhag (Language Department), Commissioner Secretary Ajeet Sahu informed the attendees that the process of hiring suitable candidates for the department had already begun.
To ensure adherence to the Annual Programme for transacting official work in Hindi, specific guidelines were highlighted during the meeting. This included the mandatory requirement to respond to letters received in Hindi in the same language, conducting 30% of training programs in Hindi medium, and procuring electronic equipment with bilingual alternatives, among other key measures.
Advisor Ladakh expressed confidence that with concerted efforts and full compliance, the implementation of Hindi language policies for administrative purposes would be successfully achieved in the Union Territory.
The meeting was attended by Commissioner Secretary Padma Angmo, Secretary Kacho Mehbood Ali, Administrative Secretary Amit Kumar, and Assistant Professor (Hindi) Tsering Chorol.
