Why in News?

• The Union Home Minister chaired first review meeting of the Department of Official Language of MHA to discuss the functioning and issues related to implementation of Hindi language in official work.

Promoting Hindi in Official Work:

• The Minster was informed that the department has developed a computer software called “Kanthasth”.
• It will be used for translating the all kinds of official files from English to Hindi and vice versa to make the translation work simpler and quicker.
• The Official language department has uploaded a dictionary of more than 15000 scientific and technical words on their website for technical usage.
•  The Dept. has developed the Lila Mobile App for making the learning of Hindi language easier, which was launched on the occasion of Hindi Diwas last year.
• The Department has also started a virtual video conferencing for teaching Hindi in all the  Indian language.

“Pravah” Mobile App:

• An E-learning platform called the “Pravah” also being developed by the department for use in 16 Indian languages including English.
• It will be launched on Hindi Diwas on 14th September, 2018.
• Anybody can learn Hindi through his mother tongue with the help of this E-learning platform.

Department of Official Language, MHA:

• With a view to ensuring compliance of the constitutional and legal provisions regarding official language and to promote the use of Hindi for the official purposes of the Union, the Department of Official Language was set up in June 1975.
• It is as an independent Department of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
• The Department has been making efforts for accelerating the progressive use of Hindi for the official purposes of the Union.
• In accordance with the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961, this Department has been entrusted with the following items of work:
  • Implementing the provisions of the Constitution relating to the Official Language and the provisions of the Official Languages Act, 1963 (19 of 1963), except to the extent such implementation has been assigned to any other Department.
  • Prior approval of the President for authorising the limited use of a language, other than English, in the proceedings in the High Court of a State.
  • Nodal responsibility for all matters relating to the progressive use of Hindi as the Official Language of the Union including Hindi Teaching Scheme for Central Government Employees etc.
  • Constitution and cadre-management of the Central Secretariat Official Language Service.
  • Matters relating to the Central Translation Bureau.
  • Matters relating to the Regional Implementation Offices.
  • Matters relating to the Committee of Parliament on Official Language.