Bihar government to strengthen language academies to promote multiple dialects: Education minister

PATNA: In a bid to promote multiple dialects, the Bihar government on Tuesday informed the assembly that efforts are underway to strengthen eight language academies, and bring them under an umbrella body for effective functioning.

Replying to a question during question hour in the assembly, Bihar Education Minister Sunil Kumar said that the entire exercise is likely to be completed in the next financial year. "The department is working to bring all these academies under one body.... Sufficient funds will be allocated for these academies for their effective functioning," Kumar said.

The eight existing language academies are the Bihar Hindi Granth Academy, Maithili Academy, Magahi Academy, Bangla Academy, Sanskrit Academy, Bhojpuri Academy, Angika Academy and South Indian languages organisation.

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Posts lying vacant in these academies for the last several months will also be rationalised, the minister said. “The idea is to make them effective, and having one unified body will help in better management and monitoring,” he said.

Kumar was replying to a question raised by BJP MLA Amrendra Pratap Singh. "Bihar is known for its rich linguistic heritage and the academies were set up for promoting and protecting it. But, these have been plagued with problems related to service conditions and appointments.

Even after grants released to these academies by the Centre, the funds were not used by the state government for the purpose,” Singh claimed.