Mumbai, Feb 4 – The Maharashtra government has issued a directive mandating the use of Marathi in all government and semi-government offices across the state, according to a Government Resolution (GR) issued on Monday.
The resolution, reported by news agency ANI, requires employees to communicate in Marathi with visitors, except for those from outside India or non-Marathi-speaking states. The policy applies to all government offices, semi-government bodies, and corporations under the Maharashtra government. Non-compliance will be treated as official indiscipline, allowing citizens to file complaints against employees who fail to adhere to the rule.
“If the complainant is dissatisfied with the action taken, they can escalate the matter to the Marathi Language Committee of the Maharashtra Legislature for further intervention,” the resolution stated.
The initiative aligns with the state’s Marathi Language Policy, which was approved last year to promote and preserve Marathi. It also directs offices to equip personal computers with keyboards featuring Marathi Devanagari alphabets alongside Roman characters.
The move is aimed at reinforcing Marathi in official communication and improving accessibility for Marathi-speaking citizens in government offices.
Reacting to the development, the Chenab Times Foundation welcomed Maharashtra’s decision and urged the Jammu and Kashmir government to take similar steps in prioritizing regional languages, particularly Kashmiri, in schools and public administration. The foundation emphasized the importance of promoting indigenous languages for cultural preservation and effective governance.
The Chenab Times News Desk