Bhubaneswar: Setting up of a ‘Commission for Preservation and Promotion of Tribal Languages of Scheduled Tribes of Odisha’ is among the five proposals approved by the state Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, here, Monday.
Addressing newsmen after the 71st Cabinet meeting, Chief Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena said the commission will work to preserve, promote, develop, disseminate and safeguard the 21 tribal languages in Odisha. “The commission will encourage multilingual education, documenting and preserving tribal languages, promoting the use of those languages and protecting linguistic rights among several enriching activities for the development of the tribal languages,” Jena said. All 21 tribal languages recognised by the state are included under the Multilingual Education (MLE) programme, the chief secretary said. “Despite multiple requests by the state government, the Centre is yet to include tribal languages like Ho, Mundari, Kui and Saora in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
The ‘Commission for Preservation and Promotion of Tribal Languages of Scheduled Tribes of Odisha’ will work towards its inclusion in the Constitution,” Jena said, adding that the Cabinet passed a resolution reiterating the demand for inclusion of Ho, Mundari, Kui and Saora languages in the 8th Schedule. The Cabinet also passed a resolution reiterating the demand for inclusion of 169 communities in the scheduled tribe (ST) list of Odisha. The Cabinet has withdrawn the decision of November 14, 2023 to amend the Odisha Scheduled Areas Transfer of Immovable Property (by Scheduled Tribes) Regulation, 1956.