Lok Sabha Question No. 580 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-25
Subject: Tribal Languages on the verge of Extinction
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Smt. Joba Majhi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- †580

TO BE ANSWERED ON- 25/07/2024

## TRIBAL LANGUAGES ON THE VERGE OF EXTINCTION

†580 SMT. JOBA MAJHI:

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has formulated any proposal/policy to preserve and develop the script of the languages spoken by the primitive tribes of Jharkhand having a population of almost three lakhs comprising of nearly four percent of the total tribal population majority including primitive tribes such as Birjia, Korwa, Mal Paharia, Parhaiya, Sauria Paharia, Khadia as their languages which is the identity of their cultures and are on the verge of extinction; and

- (b) if so, the reasons behind these languages being on the verge of extinction?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR TRIBAL AFFAIRS (SHRI DURGADAS UIKEY)

(a) & (b): Ministry of Tribal Affairs extends support to State Governments/UTs Tribal Research Institutes including Jharkhand state under the Centrally Sponsored scheme  'Support to TRIs' for development of bilingual Primers for preservation of tribal languages and enhancement of learning achievements  level  amongst  the  Scheduled  Tribes  students.  States/UTs  TRIs  are  conducting documentation and preservation of endangered tribal languages through preparation of primers, dictionaries and organization of cultural programmes.

Ministry  of  Education,  Government  of  India  has  initiated  the  Scheme  known  as  'Scheme  for protection and Preservation of endangered languages of India' (SPPEL). Under this scheme, the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL), Mysore is working on endangered languages. In the first phase, 117 tribal languages are identified by them to work on languages which are roughly spoken by less than 10,000 speakers.

Further, under the component 'Financial Assistance for support to Centre of Excellence' of the scheme  "Tribal  Research,  Information,  Education,  Communication  and  Events  (TRI-ECE)", financial assistance is provided to reputed Institution for carrying out research study programmes including documentation of tribal languages. In this regard, Ministry has sanctioned projects to Bhasha Research and Publication Centre during 2018-19 and 2019-20 which inter-alia covered  activity of identification  and  documentation  of  threatened/dying  languages.  The organization has carried out documentation of Korku, Nihali, Kolami, Vadi, Halpati, Dungra Bhili, Dhavadi, Dhatti, Thali, Nahal and Seheriya languages.

The Ministry has also developed a digital document repository (repository.tribal.gov.in) where TRIs have now started uploading all the activities, document, research reports, publications, which is available in public domain.

Dr. Ramdayal Munda Tribal Welfare Research Institute, Government of Jharkhand has intimated that they have undertaken following measures with a view to preserve and promote the languages spoken by eight primitive tribes of Jharkhand:

|   S. No. | Activity      | Name of Target PVTG                                             | Details                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|----------|---------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Workshop      | Asur, Birjia, Birhor, Sauria Paharia, Korwa, Parhaiya and Sabar | Writing workshops for preparation of books on grammar, prose and verse in Asur, Birjia, Birhor, Sauria Paharia, Korwa, Parhaiya and Sabar.                                                                                                  |
|        2 | Documentation | Birhor, Korwa, Asur and Birjia                                  | A literary study, audio- video documentation of festivals, dance, and songs of Birhors, Korwa, Asur and Birjia                                                                                                                              |
|        3 | Publication   | Asur, Birhor, Birjia, Korwa, Sauriya Pahariya                   | 1. Asur ( असुरी ) a) ʩाकरण b) गȨ - पȨ c) Primer d) असुरी वाताŊलाप िनदőिशका 2. Birhor ( िबरहोर ) a) ʩाकरण b) गȨ - पȨ c) िबरहोर वाताŊलाप िनदőिशका 3. Birjia ( िबरिजया ) a) ʩाकरण b) गȨ - पȨ 4. Korwa ( कोरवा ) a) Primer b) वाताŊलाप िनदőिशका |

|                                                                                                          |                                         | 5. Sauriya Pahariya ( मालतो ) a) ʩाकरण b) गȨ - पȨ c) वाताŊलाप िनदőिशका                                                                                                                                 |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Development of the following texts has been undertaken for the current year and its work is in progress. | Mal Pahariya, Parhaiya, Korwa and Sabar | 6. Mal Pahadiya ( मावणों ) a) Primer (in Print) b) गȨ - पȨ c) ʩाकरण 7. Parhaiya ( परहैया ) a) Primer (in Print) b) गȨ - पȨ c) ʩाकरण 8. Korwa ( कोरवा ) a) गȨ - पȨ b) ʩाकरण 9. Sabar ( सबर ) a) गȨ - पȨ |

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