Lok Sabha Question No. 4343 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-12-12
Subject: Promotion of Ancient Languages
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: KAMLA DEVI PATLE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4343 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.12.2016

## PROMOTION OF ANCIENT LANGUAGES

## † 4343. SHRIMATI KAMLA DEVI PAATLE:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state :

- (a) the  details  of  the  languages  which  have  been  granted  the  status  of ancient language in the country;
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  implemented  any  scheme  regarding providing financial assistance through various projects for promotion of the ancient languages;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and the amount provided for promoting ancient languages during the last three years and the current year, languagewise;
- (d) whether the Government has received any proposal regarding projects related to ancient languages during the last three years; and
- (e) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  reaction  of  the  Government  in  this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (DR. MAHENDRA NATH PANDEY)

( a) to (e):  There is no term called as 'ancient language'  as  recognised by the Government of India . The Government of India has initiated a Scheme known as  'Protection  and  Preservation  of  Endangered  Languages  of  India'  (SPPEL). Under  this  scheme,    the  Central  Institute  of  Indian  Languages  (CIIL),  Mysore works on protection, preservation and documentation of the mother tongues/languages of India which are spoken by less than 10,000 people.

University Grants Commission (UGC) has formulated a scheme 'Establishment  of  Centres  for  Endangered  Languages  in  Central  Universities' under which the following amounts have been approved and released to seven Central Universities:-

(Rs. in Lakhs)

| No.         | Name of University                             |   Allocation |   Grant Released so far |
|-------------|------------------------------------------------|--------------|-------------------------|
| 1.          | Tezpur University, Assam                       |          600 |                     300 |
| 2.          | Rajiv Gandhi University, Arunachal Pradesh     |          180 |                      90 |
| 3.          | Sikkim University                              |          180 |                      90 |
| 4.          | Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, M.P. |          530 |                     265 |
| 5.          | Central University of Karnataka                |          360 |                     180 |
| 6.          | Visva Bharati, West Bengal                     |          800 |                     400 |
| 7.          | Central University of Kerala                   |          360 |                     180 |
| Grant Total | Grant Total                                    |         3010 |                    1505 |

UGC  has also provided  financial  assistance  to  six  State  Universities  under  the scheme for 'Study and Research in Indigenous and Endangered Languages of India' as under:

|   No. | Name of the University               | Allocation    | Grant already released   |
|-------|--------------------------------------|---------------|--------------------------|
|     1 | Jadavpur University, West Bengal     | 1,33,50,000/- | 51,51,000/-              |
|     2 | Bharathiar University, Tamil Nadu    | 95,65,000/-   | 87,25,000/-              |
|     3 | Dravadian University, Andhra Pradesh | 1,60,50,000/- | 78,50,000/-              |
|     4 | National Law University, Delhi       | 1,92,50,000/- | 1,10,50,000/-            |
|     5 | Kerala University, Kerala            | 1,92,50,000/- | 1,10,50,000/-            |
|     6 | Berhampur University, Odisha         | 1,92,50,000/- | 1,10,50,000/-            |

***