Govt nod to J&K languages bill, scheme to reform civil services

NEW DELHI The Union cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday approved the Jammu and Kashmir Languages Bill 2020 that will make five languages — Urdu, Hindi, Kashmiri, Dogri and English — the officials language of the region. Mission Karmayogi, a new scheme to streamline training and competency building of civil servants, was also approved.

Information and Broadcasting (I&B) minister Prakash Javadekar, flanked by Union minister Jitendra Singh, told reporters about the decision at a cabinet briefing. “We have decided to introduce in parliament Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Bill 2020 under which five languages — Urdu, Hindi, Kashmiri, Dogri and English — will become official languages. This has been done based on demand by the people,” said Javadekar.

The I&B minister said more details of the bill would emerge once it is brought to the parlia

ment.Singh thanked the PM for the move. The cabinet also approved the Mission Karmayogi scheme for government officers. At the apex of the scheme will be the PM’s HR Council — consisting of select Union ministers, chief ministers, international leaders and officials — that will determine the ‘right person for the right role’ and decide assignments accordingly.

A dashboard will also monitor and audit the capacity building scheme, and a report will be submitted annually.

Two separate ways to engage with the scheme have also been developed. A guided path will provide the necessary resources for a civil servant to adapt to the role that they occupy. Officials had earlier told HT that once an officer shifts to a new division, they will provided with the prerequisite wherewithal to effectively perform their functions.

“A deputy secretary who takes charge as director will be given a detailed manual,” a Department of Personnel & Training official said, on condition of anonymity.