CHAPTER–XII
Progressive Use of Hindi
12.1 During the year 1999-2000, the Department of Coal continued to make sustained efforts to promote and propagate Rajbhasha Hindi in all its subordinate offices as well as in all the companies under its administrative control. The Department of Coal was awarded "Indira Gandhi Rajbhasha Shield" by Department of Official Language, Ministry of Home Affairs four times i.e. in 1990, 1991, 1995 and 1996. Eastern Coalfields Ltd., a subsidiary company of Coal India Limited , was also awarded this Shield in 1994-95. The Department of Coal is committed to increase the progressive use of Official Language in future also. With this in view, instructions received from the Department of Official Language are regularly circulated to the subordinate offices and all the companies to impress upon them the statutory provisions and the annual programme for implementation of the Official Language Policy of the Union in both letter and spirit. Special appeals/circulars are issued from time to time to encourage the the officers and staff into greater use of Hindi in their day to day official work. To facilitate noting and drafting in Hindi, a number of standard bilingual drafts were circulated for use in various divisions of the Department.
12.2 The Official Language Rules 1976 make it obligatory that all the letters received in Hindi or those bearing signature in Hindi even though written in English, must be answered only in Hindi Language. In order to ensure this, check points were created in the Administration and the Receipt and Despatch sections and arrangements were made for segregating such letters at the stage of receipt itself and stamping them with the fascimile "To be replied in Hindi", lest they should get mixed up with other letters. This has served to ensure that they were properly attended to and replied in Hindi only.
12.3 In the Department, a high percentage of officers and staff have already acquired working knowledge of Hindi. In order to enhance their capability and confidence to work in Hindi, employees are nominated regularly to the Hindi Teaching Scheme of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
12.4 The Department of Coal has already a small library, which has a good collection of Hindi literature. Some of the Coal Companies and subordinate offices also have libraries. Most of the books in these libraries are in Hindi or in Regional Languages. In order to motivate the employees to read Hindi books, Rajbhasha Pustakalaya is being run by the Bharat Coking Coal Ltd. at Koyla Bhawan, Dhanbad.
12.5 In the Coal India Ltd., a holding company of the Department of Coal, Rajbhasha Karyanwayan Samiti was constituted for effective implementation of Rajbhasha policy. Coal India Ltd. also continues to publish Hindi edition of all its publications during the year under review. The use of Hindi has been propagated through various in house publications such as Khanan Bharti, Jyotsna, Saurav, Pallav, Vasundhara, Sampada and Pratibimb on a regular basis.
12.6 During the period under review the two areas i.e. Bastacola and Pench of the respective companies, i.e. B.C.C.L. and W.C.L. have been notified under 10(4) of Official Language Rules, 1976, as more than 80% staff of these departments have acquired working knowledge of Hindi.
12.7 Hindi Salahkar Samiti of the Department of Coal was reconstituted on 18.3.1999 and its first meeting was held on 4.8.1999 in New Delhi. The Department has its own Rajbhasha Karyanwayan Samiti, which meets regularly on quarterly basis. With a view to propagate Hindi in all the companies/subordinate offices, a series of meetings with the CGM/GM (Hindi Incharge) and Hindi Officers of all the companies/subordinate offices of the Department of Coal were organised from 24.5.99 to 28.5.99, in which the "Progress of Hindi" in the companies/subordinate offices was reviewed.
12.8 The Department of Coal has been fully computerised and all the PCs in the various sections of the department have been provided with bilingual facilities. To give basic knowledge of Computers in Hindi, following books have been purchased and distributed to the officers/staff of the Department:
12.9 A "Hindi Pakhwara" was celebrated from the 14th September, 1999 to 28th September, 1999, in which the officers and staff participated overwhelmingly. During "Hindi Pakhwara", the Secretary (Coal) had appealed to the officers/staff of the Department to do their maximum official work in Hindi. The appeal of the Union Home Minister issued by the Official Language Department was also circulated in the Department of Coal and all its subordinate offices/Coal Companies. Six competitions like Noting and Drafting in Hindi, Slogans writing , Essay writing in Hindi etc. were organised during the said period and 39 participants were awarded. An "Award Distribution Function" was held under the Chairperson of Hon’ble Minister of State of Mines and Minerals. On this occasion, three renowned poets, namely, Shri Surendra Sharma, Shri Lajpat Rai "Vikat" and Ms. J.V. Manisha were also invited to grace the occasion.
12.10 In order to celebrate Golden Jubilee year on the occasion of the completion of 50 years of adoption of Hindi as Rajbhasha ( i.e. from 14.9.1999 to 14.9.2000), the Department has drawn up an annual action programme as per the instructions issued by the Official Language. All the companies/subordinate offices of the Department of Coal are also formulating programmes to mark the occasion. In addition, following activities were carried out : -
12.11 Efforts are already under way to achieve the targets mentioned in the Annual Programme of the Department of Official Language and we are pledged to maintain the tempo well into new millennium.