The Punjab Vidhan Sabha passed two significant bills related to the Punjabi language introduced by Higher Education and Languages Minister Pargat Singh here on Thursday.Minister tabled bills including ‘Punjabi and Other Languages Education (Amendment) Bill, 2021’ and ‘Punjab State Language (Amendment) Bill-2021’.
Punjabi and Other Languages Education (Amendment) Bill, 2021 will ensure Punjabi as a compulsory subject for all students from class I to X in schools across the state.The move would attract a fine from Rs 25,000, Rs 50,000 and Rs 1 lakh to Rs 50,000, Rs 1 lakh and Rs 2 lakh respectively, in case of violation of the orders by educational institutes.According to the bill, if any school violates the provisions of the Act or the rules made under it the first time for more than one month, the institute shall be liable to a fine of Rs. 50,000. Likewise, if they violate for the second time for more than one month, schools shall be liable to a fine of Rs.1 lakh.Similarly, violation of the act for the third time exceeding one month, schools will be fined 2 lakh.
The second bill Punjab State Language (Amendment) Bill, 2021, makes it mandatory for officers/employees to conduct all official business in Punjabi language, otherwise, a fine of Rs.500 would be imposed following recommendations of the language department, Punjab. A fine of up to Rs 2,000 for the violation on the second time and up to Rs 5,000 for the third offence. The penalty will be levied by the concerned distribution and expenditure officer on the salary of the offender employee.On the occasion, Chief Minister Mr Charanjit Singh Channi reiterated the commitment of the Punjab government to promote Punjabi mother tongue and said that while Punjabi subject would be compulsory in all the schools in the state up to class X, it would be ensured that Punjabi would be written on top of all the boards in the state.Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Higher Education and Languages Pargat Singh said, “Punjabi is our mother tongue and we are initiating all possible steps to promote it.”
He said that currently, 21 District Language Officers out of total 23 posts are vacant in Punjab and these would be filled up in the coming days.Similarly, a state-level board or committee would be constituted to implement the State Language Act. On the same pattern, district level committees would also be formed to strictly enforce the Punjabi Language Act at the grassroots level.
