Union Home and Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah chaired the 38th meeting of the Committee of Parliament on Official Language in New Delhi.
Committee of Parliament on Official Language
- The Committee of Parliament on Official Language was set up in 1976 under Section 4 of The Official Languages Act, 1963.
- Section 4 of the Act says “there shall be constituted a Committee on Official language, on a resolution to that effect being moved in either House of Parliament with the previous sanction of the President and passed by both Houses”.
- Under the provisions of the 1963 Act, the panel submits its report to the President, who “shall [then] cause the report to be laid before each House of Parliament, and sent to all the State Governments”.
- The Committee is chaired by the Union Home Minister, and has, in accordance with the provisions of the 1963 Act.
- The committee consists of 30 members — 20 MPs from Lok Sabha and 10 MPs from Rajya Sabha.
- The mandate of the Committee is to review the progress made in the use of Hindi for official purposes, and to make recommendations to increase the use of Hindi in official communications.
- The first Report of the Committee was submitted in 1987.