Assam has initiated a ministerial review of measures for protecting and developing the Dimasa language, with Education Minister Ranoj Pegu and Hill Areas Minister Krishnendu Paul assigned to examine a committee report under the 2023 settlement.
Key Takeaways
- Assam has formed a two-member Group of Ministers to examine recommendations on Dimasa language protection and development.
- Education Minister Ranoj Pegu and Hill Areas Minister Krishnendu Paul will review the committee report under Clause 5.1 of the 2023 MoS.
- The panel will submit its recommendations to the state government for further action.
The Assam government has constituted a two-member Group of Ministers to examine recommendations on the protection, promotion and development of the Dimasa language, officials said on Thursday.
Panel to Examine Dimasa Language Recommendations
The ministerial group comprises Assam Education Minister Ranoj Pegu and Hill Areas Minister Krishnendu Paul.
The government has tasked the two ministers with studying the recommendations contained in a report prepared by a committee on issues related to the Dimasa language.
The panel will also examine broader aspects of preserving, promoting and developing the language.
After completing its review, the Group of Ministers will submit its recommendations to the state government. The government will then take further necessary action on the matter.
Move Linked to 2023 Settlement
The formation of the ministerial panel is part of the implementation of commitments made under the 2023 Memorandum of Settlement (MoS).
The agreement was signed between the Assam government, the Dimasa National Liberation Army (DNLA) and the Dimasa Peoples’ Supreme Council (DPSC).
The settlement included provisions dealing with issues related to the Dimasa community. Language protection and development form part of those commitments.
The latest government order specifically links the ministerial review to Clause 5.1 of the 2023 MoS.
Under this provision, a committee had been constituted to examine matters concerning the Dimasa language. The committee subsequently submitted its report for consideration.
The Group of Ministers will now examine that report and its recommendations.
Focus on Protection and Development
The ministerial panel has received a specific mandate to consider the recommendations concerning the “Protection, Promotion and Development of the Dimasa Language”.
Its examination will cover issues connected with the preservation and advancement of the language.
The panel will study the committee’s findings before preparing its recommendations for the state government.
The process is intended to provide the government with a considered assessment of the recommendations placed before it.
The final decision on the matter will rest with the state government after it receives the ministerial group’s recommendations.
Hill Areas Department to Provide Support
The Hill Areas Department will provide secretarial assistance to the Group of Ministers during its examination.
The department will support the panel as the ministers deliberate on the committee report and its recommendations.
The arrangement will facilitate the ministerial group’s work as it reviews the issues covered under the settlement provision.
The panel’s next task is therefore to examine the committee report in detail and formulate its recommendations for the government.
Dimasa Language and Cultural Identity
The Dimasa language is primarily spoken by the Dimasa community in the hill districts of Assam and adjoining areas.
The government’s latest move places the language within the broader implementation process arising from the 2023 settlement with the DNLA and DPSC.
The preservation and development of indigenous languages remain connected to efforts to protect cultural and linguistic identity in the region.
Against this backdrop, the ministerial review will focus specifically on the recommendations already submitted by the committee.
The Group of Ministers will assess those recommendations before placing its views before the state government.
What Happens Next
The immediate focus will remain on the ministerial group’s examination of the committee report.
Pegu and Paul will study the recommendations and consider issues related to the protection, promotion and development of the Dimasa language.
Once the review is complete, the panel will submit its recommendations to the Assam government.
The state government will consider those recommendations before deciding on further action under the relevant provisions of the 2023 settlement.
