On 14th September 2024, during the Hindi Diwas Celebrations and All India Official Language Conference organized on the occasion of Hindi Diwas at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, the Secretary, Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, Mr. V. Srinivas ji was awarded the Rajbhasha Kirti Puraskar by the Hon’ble Home Minister and Cooperation Minister, Shri Amit Shah.
This award has been given for the best performance in Official Language Hindi, to the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, in the category of Ministries / Departments with less than 300 personnel, by the Department of Official Language, Ministry of Home Affairs for the year 2023-24.
The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances is committed to the effective implementation of the Official Language Policy of the Union and as a result of these efforts, the use of the Official Language in the Department is steadily increasing. The Department monitors the proper implementation of the Official Language Policy of the Union in its sections and its attached offices/autonomous bodies. The Department is also responsible for translating from English to Hindi various materials received from various sections of the Department, such as General Orders, Rules, Standard Forms, Notifications, Resolution, Cabinet Notes, D.O. Letters issued by senior officers, administrative and other reports specified in Section 3(3) of the Official Languages Act, 1963 and Press Releases, etc. During the year 2023-24, the Department has made several efforts and achieved milestones to promote the widespread use of Official Language Hindi.
Hindi Advisory Committee
There is a joint Hindi Advisory Committee of DARPG, DoPT and DoP&PW to monitor the implementation of Official Language Policy in the Ministry. Its meetings are being held in a timely manner under the chairmanship of Hon’ble Minister of State for Personnel.
Official Language Implementation Committee
Official Language Implementation Committee has been constituted in the Department under the Chairmanship of Secretary, Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances. Head of the attached office of the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances and officers of the level of Under Secretary and above in the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances are its members. Meetings of the Committee were successfully held every quarter in the Department.
In the meeting, the implementation of the Official Language Policy of the Union in respect of the Department and its attached offices/autonomous bodies was duly reviewed and various measures for promoting the use of Hindi were considered.
Quarterly Progress Report (QPR) and Annual Evaluation Report
To assess the work done by Government employees in their official work in Hindi, quarterly progress reports are prepared by collecting data from various sections and sent to the Official Language Department on a regular basis. Similarly, annual evaluation report related to the progressive use of Hindi is also sent to the Official Language Department.
Organizing Hindi Fortnight
On the occasion of Hindi Diwas on 14 September, Hindi Pakhwada was celebrated in the department from 14 September to 28 September 2023 and 05 competitions were organized, in which the personnel participated enthusiastically. A total of 88 personnel participated in these competitions. The successful participants were awarded prizes by the Joint Secretary (Administration) in the prize distribution ceremony held on 30 October 2023.
Hindi Workshops
Four (4) Hindi workshops were organized during the year to remove the hesitation of the personnel in doing official work in Hindi.
Major Initiatives of the Department
Individual orders were issued under the signature of the Secretary to the officers/employees who have proficiency in Hindi to do all their work in Hindi under Rule 8 (4) of the Official Language Rules, 1976. It is a matter of great pride that out of 66 officers/employees in the department, 62 officers/employees have proficiency in Hindi.
Under Sub-rule 12 of the Official Languages Rules, 1976, the Administration I Section and the Public Grievances Division of the Department have been specified to transact all their work in Hindi.
A scheme of incentives has been implemented in the Department for the officers/employees based on their work done originally in Hindi.
Under Rule 12 of the Official Languages Rules, 1976, check points have been issued for proper compliance of the Official Language Policy in the Department.
Hindi workshop on translation and voice typing was organised.
Out of the total 10 officers of the level of Deputy Secretary and above in the department, 9 officers work 100% in Hindi. A seminar was organized in the department on the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on 31 October 2023.
Advertisements, posters and banners issued by the department are being issued in bilingual form.
The names, designations and office addresses of the officers/employees are being displayed in bilingual form in the e-mails sent by the officers/employees.
All documents issued under Section 3(3) of the Official Languages Act, 1963 are being issued in bilingual form.
As per Official Language Rules, 1976, letters received in Hindi are being replied to in Hindi only.
All the newspapers are being procured in the department in both English and Hindi languages.
In order to create an environment of working in Hindi in the department, plaques have been put up in the rooms of all the officers and in all the sections with the following message: –
‘’आज सोमवार है,
आज मैं अपना समस्त कार्य हिंदी में ही करूंगा/करूंगी।‘’
हिंदी में कार्य करना आसान है
हिंदी जैसे बोली जाती है, वैसे ही लिखी जाती है।
जय हिंदी, जय भारत।‘’
A notice board has been put up in the department on which an English word and its Hindi translation is written every day.
The names and designations of all officers/employees are displayed bilingually in e-Office.
International Women’s Day was celebrated on 8 March 2024.
E-Office of the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances has been integrated with the Kanthasth software of the Department of Official Language.
Information is being released in bilingual form on Facebook/Twitter.
The huge documentation of Abhinav Portal has been translated.
Monthly summaries and NASDA reports are being issued in bilingual form.
The achievement booklet regarding the activities of the department for 9 years from 2014 to 2023 was released in Hindi.
Re-creating Excellence-Released in Hindi.
Messengers of Change -Released in Hindi.
The monthly reports called CPGRAMS of States/UTs are being released in Hindi.
Action taken report on the 127th report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee was released in Hindi.
National e-Service Delivery Assessment – Report on Status of Implementation and Promotion of Recommendations is being released in Hindi.
The monthly reports of the Central Ministries/Departments called CPGRAMS are being released in Hindi.
Background paper on CPGRAMS for effective grievance redressal through strengthening of public grievance system was presented before the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee in Hindi.
Vision India @ 2047 – Bringing Governance, Citizens and Government Closer – Booklet released in Hindi.
In order to increase the inclination of the officers and employees of the department towards doing government work in Hindi, plaques containing quotes of Hindi scholars have been installed in the sections/divisions of the office.
A compilation of award-winning stories/poems during ‘ Hindi Pakhwada- 2023’ was published as an e-book on the department’s website.
The posts issued by the Department on Twitter/Facebook are issued in bilingual form, video clippings are in Hindi and the press release sent to PIB is issued in bilingual form.
The department is making calls in Hindi to 20 lakh citizens regarding redressal of public grievances.
‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme is conducted by the Prime Minister in Hindi.
Short films have been made in Hindi on best practices.
Thus, this Department is fully following the guidelines issued by the Department of Official Language regarding implementation of the Official Language Policy of the Union.