Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (TP)
Udupi, Jul 22: “It is encouraging that in Udupi, where the mother tongues are Tulu, Konkani, and Byari, the failure rate in the subject is lower than in districts where it is the primary language,” said Dr Purushotham Bilimale, president of the Kannada development authority.
He was addressing a press conference at the V S Acharya auditorium in the zilla panchayat after a review meeting on subject implementation on July 22.
Dr Bilimale said the authority has requested the education minister to provide a list of students who failed so that a detailed study can be conducted and a report submitted.
“The main objective of the authority is to ensure that government directives on implementation are effectively followed at the district and taluk levels. So far, we have visited 36 institutions across 14 districts, and administrative implementation has been largely successful,” he said.
Around 20 representatives from various organisations attended the review meeting and shared their concerns. “We have requested the deputy commissioner to organise meetings with pro-language activists every two months. At the same time, we have advised activists not to take the law into their own hands,” he said.
Dr Bilimale pointed out that while members of the authority are invited to KDP meetings, their appeals are often heard at the end, when attendees are already fatigued. He urged the deputy commissioner to prioritise their inputs at the start of such meetings.
On tourism, he said that while St Mary’s Island in Malpe is a major attraction, it lacks information boards in the local language. “Boards in other languages may remain, but it is essential that our language is represented. Providing historical information in the native tongue deepens visitor engagement,” he said.
Speaking on industry, he said outsourcing has brought in a workforce from different linguistic backgrounds. “To address this, learning centres have been established in areas with a high population of non-native speakers. Over 3,000 migrant workers have been taught in Bengaluru alone,” he noted.
On digitisation, he acknowledged that progress is slow, as pointed out by deputy commissioner Swaroopa T K. He added that the proposed language bhavana in Udupi, for which land has been allotted by the sahitya parishad, has been delayed despite the blueprint being ready. “The DC has assured it will be included in the next agenda and completed within a year,” he said.
Dr Bilimale said a resolution has been suggested to ensure that every bank branch has at least one employee fluent in the local language. “We raised this with the lead bank representative and will follow it up with the union government,” he said.
Highlighting another issue, he said 17,700 government schools in the state do not possess land claim letters, resulting in encroachment in some cases. “However, the twin coastal districts have fewer such cases. In Udupi, only eight schools lack documentation, and the DC has assured this will be resolved within six months,” he said.
He concluded by stating that a committee led by Dr G M Devi and V P Niranjanaradhya has been formed to promote minor languages in the state.
Udupi deputy commissioner Swaroopa T K, authority secretary Dr Santhosh Hanagal, personal secretary to the president T S Panikumar, nominated member Yakoob Khadar, assistant director of the department of Kannada and culture Poornima, and personal assistant K T Raghu were present.