CM calls for digitalisation of State’s languages, folk culture and literature
PIONEER NEWS SERVICE/ Dehradun
Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the languages, folk tales, folksongs and literature of Uttarakhand should be digitalised. An e-library should also be made to meet this purpose. He said that people should be encouraged to present books instead of bouquets. Dhami was presiding over the general body meeting and management committee meeting of Uttarakhand Bhasha Sansthan at the secretariat on Monday.
He said that work should be done towards digitisation of Uttarakhand’s dialects, folk tales, folksongs and literature, and suggested that an e-library should be created for the purpose. He said that speech, essay and other competitions on local tongues should be organised in schools once a week. Dhami said that a festival of Uttarakhand language and literature should be organised on a large scale, in which writers from all over the country should be invited. He directed that a linguistic map of Uttarakhand’s dialects should be made.
It was decided in the meeting that the prize amount of Uttarakhand Sahitya Gaurav Samman will be increased from Rs five lakh to 5.1 lakh. The State government will also give a Sahitya Sevak Samman for long term service in the field of literature. A Yuva Kalamkar competition will be organized to encourage young writers for promoting Rajbhasha Hindi.
It was also decided that the help of major publishing houses should be taken to provide books and literature related to various subjects to the readers. Similarly a decision to make arrangements for mobile libraries in remote places of the State was also taken. The members decided that the Bhasha Sansthan will work towards promoting local dialects by preparing short videos to increase the interest of children towards folk languages. Documentation will be done to preserve Baakna (Pandavani singing) practiced in Jaunsar Bawar region since ancient times. A decision to set up two Sahitya Grams for organising seminars and discussions among litterateurs in the lap of nature was also taken in the meeting.
Language minister Subodh Uniyal said that in the last three years, many new initiatives have been taken by the Bhasha Sansthan in Uttarakhand. He said that along with the preservation and promotion of languages, sincere efforts are being made to promote local dialects. The minister said that many awards are being given by the State government to encourage people towards language.
Principal secretary RK Sudhanshu, secretary V Shanmugam, Languages director Swati Bhadauria, additional secretary Manuj Goyal, vice chancellor of Doon University, Surekha Dangwal, Sanskrit University VC Dinesh Chandra Shastri and others attended the meeting.
