Mumbai: In an outreach to an estimated 2.5 lakh Punjabi speakers in the state, Maharashtra has reconstituted the Punjabi Sahitya Academy which was dissolved by the erstwhile government. The government has also set up a 12-member committee under the minorities development department to help the community access welfare programmes. The dispensation also announced the appointment of a Sikh member to the State Minority Commission.
About The Decisions
The decisions were announced in a government resolution passed on October 11. The language academy, which is recognised as a constitutional body, is headed by a chairman, Bal Malkit Singh, a philanthropist, and social activist. Apart from the chairman, the government has also announced the appointment of 10 members who will bring in their expertise in Punjabi language, literature, education, and cultural preservation. The appointments are for a tenure of three years.
Apart from encouraging Punjabi writers, poets, and scholars by providing platforms for their work, the academy will collaborate with educational institutions to integrate the Punjabi language into school curriculums. “While there are some schools that teach Punjabi, we plan to offer online courses on the language,” said Singh.
While the language academy will strive for the promotion and preservation of the Punjabi language and culture in Maharashtra, the committee will help the community take their grievances to the authorities. It will also help the government to study issues affecting the community and help it to create programmes to commemorate the birthdays of Guru Gobind Singh, Guru Tegh Bahadur, and other Sikh leaders.
The members of the academy acknowledged the support of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputies, Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, for their “commitment to promoting linguistic diversity in Maharashtra”. Singh vowed, “The Academy seeks to enrich the cultural fabric of Maharashtra while preserving the unique identity of the Punjabi-speaking community.”
