Will take initiative to bring Federal Language Act soon: Minister Pandey

Kathmandu, Feb 21: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Badri Prasad Pandey, has expressed commitment to take initiative to bring a Federal Language Act as soon as possible.     

At an interaction on 'Provincial and Endangered Languages', organized by the Language Commission here today on the occasion of International Language Day, Minister Pandey shared that he would take maximum efforts to introduce the Act which is now at the Ministry of Law, Justice and Federal Affairs.     

Stressing the need of protecting endangered languages, he said, "There are 131 languages in Nepal. The number might increase. The main duty and role of the Language Commission is to protect and promote all languages."     

Minister Pandey asserted that protecting the existing languages was main challenge.     

Commission Chairperson Dr Gopal Thakur said a new awareness and energy has been transfused at the province and local level after the Commission recommended the province-wise official language by determining the basis of the language used for official works.     

According to him, the Commission is facilitating in its implementation and good practices have been made from the people's level regarding the use of mother languages in education.     

In the programme, Dr Taramani Rai presented a working paper entitled 'Status of Languages in Koshi Province', Satyendra Prasad Yadav a working paper entitled 'Status of Languages in Madhes Province', Umesh Sthapit a paper entitled 'Status of Languages in Bagmati Province', Lok Bahadur Thapa a working paper entitled 'Status of Languages in Gandaki Province', Bikram Mani Tripathi a working paper entitled 'Status of Languages in Lumbini Province', Badri Binadi a working paper entitled 'Status of Languages in Sudurpaschim Province' and Amrit Yonzan Tamang a paper entitled 'Status of Endangered Languages and Future Direction'.(RSS)