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NEWS IMPULSE – JAMMU KASHMIR OFFICIAL LANGUAGES BILL 2020 | 31 OCTOBER

/ October, UPSC Daily Current Affairs

SOURCE – PRS INDIA

GS PAPER – 2

CONTEXT  

The LokSabha passed a bill under which Kashmiri, Dogri, and Hindi, apart from the existing Urdu and English, will be the official languages in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir

• Official languages:  The Bill declares Kashmiri, Dogri, Urdu, Hindi, and English as the official languages to be used for the official purposes of the union territory, from such date as the Administrator of the union territory may notify.  The Bill adds that the business in the Legislative Assembly of the union territory will be transacted in these official languages.

• Use of English:  The Bill clarifies that English may continue to be used in the union territory for those administrative and legislative purposes for which it was being used before the commencement of the Act.

• The Administrator may, for the promotion and development of regional languages of the Union territory, take necessary steps to strengthen the existing institutional mechanisms such as the Academy of Art, Culture and languages in the Union territory. The institutional mechanisms referred to in sub-section (1) shall make special efforts for the promotion and development of Gojri, Pahari and Punjabi languages.