Centre Allocates Rs 308.44 Cr for Promotion of Indian Languages in 2024-25

Responding to a question by Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi in the Lok Sabha, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan provided details of the budget allocations under the Grants for Promotion of Indian Language (GPIL) over the past decade.

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The Union Government has allocated Rs 308.44 crore for the promotion of Indian languages during 2024-25, Parliament was informed.

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Responding to a question by Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi in the Lok Sabha, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan provided details of the budget allocations under the Grants for Promotion of Indian Language (GPIL) over the past decade.

The data shows that the allocation has increased steadily from Rs 288.88 crore in 2015-16, reaching a peak of Rs 459.70 crore in 2019-20, before declining in subsequent years. Only Rs 197.50 crore was earmarked in 2021-22. The minister clarified that funds are allocated based on requirement and utilisation, not on a per-language basis.

Under GPIL, grants are provided to institutions including the Kendriya Hindi Sansthan (KHS), Maharishi Sandipani Rashtriya Ved Vidya Pratishthan (MSRVVP), Central Institute of Classical Tamil (CICT), National Council for Promotion of Sindhi Language (NCPSL), and National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL) for promoting Hindi, Veda, Classical Tamil, Sindhi, and Urdu, respectively.

Sanskrit promotion is supported through three central universities: Central Sanskrit University, New Delhi, Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri National Sanskrit University, New Delhi, and National Sanskrit University, Tirupati, with funds provided for teaching, research, and awarding degrees, diplomas, or certificates.

Pradhan emphasised that the government’s policy is to promote all Indian languages. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 stresses multilingualism and aims to keep Indian languages vibrant. According to NEP, the medium of instruction up to at least Class 5, and preferably up to Class 8, should be in the home/mother tongue or regional language.

The policy also encourages integration of Indian languages into school and higher education, giving students the option to study in any Indian language.

Additionally, the Union Budget 2025-26 announced the Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Scheme, which aims to provide textbooks in Indian languages for school and higher education in digital format, the minister added.

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