Lok Sabha Question No. 454 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-12
Subject: Popularising Hindi
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: BANSHILAL MAHTO

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.454

TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.12.2018

## POPULARISING HINDI

- †454.  DR. BANSHILAL MAHATO:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has formulated any scheme to make Hindi popular in other countries;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the amount of the fund allocated in this regard for the current financial year along with the details of the programmes being implemented for the said purpose;
- (d) whether people from other countries are taking special interest in learning Hindi and if so, the details thereof;  and
- (e) the details of the countries at present where Hindi is being taught as a subject?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS [GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]

(a) & (b) Yes, Government has a well organized programme for promotion and propagation of our Rajbhasha Hindi abroad, which is implemented through our Missions & Posts abroad.

The Government has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding on a pilot project with the United Nations to increase the volume and frequency of content on United Nations activities produced by the United Nations Secretariat in Hindi for an initial period of 2 years. As part of this project, the United Nations Secretariat has increased the audio, video and text content in Hindi and started social media platforms such as T witter, Facebook and Instagram for disseminating information in Hindi. It is also planning to begin a multi-media website in Hindi in 2019.

- (c) Under Ministry's budget an amount of Rs. 5 crore has been allocated in the current financial year 2018-19 for propagation of Hindi abroad.

The Ministry regularly organizes World Hindi Conference and Regional Hindi Conferences   in   different   parts   of   the   world   in   cooperation   with   the   local governments, universities and organizations. The 11 th   World Hindi Conference was successfully organized in Mauritius from 18-20 August 2018 in association with the Government of Mauritius.

The Ministry regularly organizes programmes for popularizing Hindi abroad with the involvement of its Missions & Posts, universities, cultural organizations and associations, including the World Hindi Day on 10 th   January. Hindi teaching materials, including Hindi text books and children books etc. are supplied free of cost   to   educational   institutions   abroad.   The   Ministry   also   extends   financial support   to   educational   institutions   abroad   through   its   Missions   &   Posts,   for teaching Hindi. The permanent building of the World Hindi Secretariat was inaugurated by the Hon'ble President of India in March 2018. It was set up in Mauritius to promote Hindi worldwide, under a bilateral agreement between the Governments of India and Mauritius based on equal sharing of budget for its operation. ICCR has established 26 Hindi Chairs in different countries. It has deployed India based Hindi teachers at its six Indian Cultural Centres and Hindi teaching facilities are also provided by local teachers in its five centres.  ICCR publishes a bi-monthly Hindi magazine 'Gagananchal', which is circulated to 122 Indian Missions & Posts and 37 Indian Cultural Centres abroad. ICCR spends an amount of Rs. 990 lakhs on Chairs, Rs. 360 lakhs on India based Hindi teachers at Indian Cultural Centres and Rs. 18 lakhs on the publication of Hindi magazine annually. (d) Hindi language is getting popularity in many foreign countries and people are taking interest in learning Hindi. Students from various countries are studying Hindi at Kendriya Hindi Sansthan, Agra and its Delhi Centre. (e) With the continuous efforts of the Ministry through its Missions & Posts abroad and in association with the local organizations & institutions, Hindi is now taught in the territorial jurisdiction of 68 Missions & Posts at school and university level.

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