Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has officially
mandated the use of Marathi in all government, semi-government, and
local body offices across the state. The directive, which was initially
announced in March last year, has now been formally enforced through a
government order issued on Monday.
Complaints Allowed Against Non-Compliant Employees
Under the new policy, all officers and employees in government
departments, public corporations, and local bodies are required to communicate
in Marathi. The order also gives the public the right to file complaints
against employees who fail to adhere to this rule.
"If an employee does not speak in Marathi, a
complaint can be lodged with the head of the department. If no action is taken,
an appeal can be made to the Marathi Language Committee of the state
legislature," the order states.
Marathi to Dominate Official Communication
According to the policy, all applications, signboards,
and advertisements issued by state government departments must now be
exclusively in Marathi.
This move aligns with the Central Government’s
three-language policy, which requires English, Hindi, and the respective
regional language to be used in all government establishments, including banks.
The new mandate aims to strengthen Marathi's official
status and promote its use in day-to-day governance.