Language Dept to issue fines over failure to change sign boards to Pbi
Patiala, February 19
The Language Department will now begin acting as per the Official Languages Act and soon issue fines from February 21 to officials of government departments who fail to change display boards of offices to Punjabi.
Officials at the Language Department today said the state government had issued orders on February 1 directing all public and private establishments to change their sign boards and names to Punjabi for the purpose of proliferation of the language. It had ordered the offices to make the changes within three weeks i.e. by February 21 (International Mother Language Day), failing which, government officials concerned could be issued fines ranging from Rs 500 up to Rs 5,000, as per the Punjab Official Languages Act.
Following set norms
The directions were issued as per the Punjab Official Languages (Amendment) Act, 2021. Initiatives have also been taken to put the directions into practice at district-level. After February 21, we will begin acting as per the Act and upon the directions of the state government. —Veerpal Kaur, Joint Director, Language Department
Veerpal Kaur, Joint Director, Languages Department, said, “The directions were issued as per the Punjab Official Languages (Amendment) Act, 2021. Initiatives have also been taken to put the directions into practice at district-level. After February 21, we will begin acting as per the Act and upon the directions of the state government.”
Meanwhile, the department will organise an event on International Mother Language Day on February 21. The joint director said only district-level heads and officials would participate in the department’s state-level programme.
“We had contacted the Minister of Higher Education and Languages for his participation in the programme, but he would be busy in a state Cabinet meeting supposed to be held that day. District Planning Committee Chairman Jassi Sohianwala will be the chief guest on the occasion. DC Sakshi Sawhney will be the special guest. Prof Satnam Singh Sandhu from Punjabi University will be delivering a lecture on difficulties being faced in the proliferation of Punjabi language. A play will also be enacted on the occasion,” she said.
