Lok Sabha Question No. 1218 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-19
Subject: Tribal Languages
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: P.P. Chaudhary

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1218 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.09.2020

## TRIBAL LANGUAGES

1218: SHRI P.P. CHAUDHARY:

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state: -

- a.  the details of the Tribal languages in the country;
- b.  the steps are taken by the Government to promote Tribal languages and also to save them from extinction;
- c. if so, the details of the various schemes/initiatives undertaken, State-wise.
- d.  whether the Government has digitized any of the tribal languages and if so, the details thereof;
- e.  whether the Government is using Digital technologies to safeguard them and if so, the details thereof; and
- f. the details of the budget allocated or proposed and expenditure incurred for the above mentioned purpose?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS (SHRI ARJUN MUNDA)

- (a):        Ministry of Tribal Affairs has through studies  found that there are 780 languages spoken in India of which 443 are said to be spoken by tribal communities. Details of such languages are maintained at https://www.peopleslinguisticsurvey.org/. This study has been made by the Bhasha Research and Publication Centre, Gujarat that is recognized by Tribal Affairs  Ministry  as  a  Centre  of  Excellence  to  carry  out research  in  the  field  of  Tribal languages.
- (b)  &  (c):          Ministry  of  Tribal  Affairs  extends  support  to  State  Governments  /  UTs  for development of bilingual Primers for preservation of tribal languages and enhancement of learning  achievement  level  amongst  the  Scheduled  Tribe  Students.  So  far  82  language primers  have  been  developed  by  various  State  Governments.  For  instanceJuang,  Kisan, Koya, Oram, Saora in Odisha, Halbi, Korku, Bhili, Gondi in MadjyaPradseh and Khadia and Khorat in Jharkhand. This is an ongoing process.

(d) & (e):          No, Sir

- (f)          Details  of  funds  provided  during  last  three  years  for  development  of  language primers  under  the  Scheme  'Support  to  TRI'  and  to  Bhasha  Research  and  Publication Centre  (the  CoE)  under  the  scheme  'Tribal  Festival,  Research  Information  and  Mass Education' is as under:

| Year    |   Funds provided to various States under the Scheme 'Support to TRI' (Rs. in Lakh) |   Funds provided to Bhasha Research and Publication Centre under the Scheme 'Tribal Festival, Research Information and Mass Education' (Rs. in Lakh) |   Total (Rs. in Lakh) |
|---------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------|
| 2017-18 |                                                                                 19 |                                                                                                                                                14.08 |                 33.08 |
| 2018-19 |                                                                                184 |                                                                                                                                                41    |                225    |
| 2019-20 |                                                                                134 |                                                                                                                                                21.38 |                155.38 |

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