Assam forms two-member ministerial panel to advance Dimasa language protection
Guwahati, Sep 24 (IANS) The Assam government has constituted a two-member Group of Ministers to examine recommendations concerning the protection, promotion and development of the Dimasa language, officials said on Thursday.
The move is part of the implementation of commitments made under the 2023 Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) signed between the Assam government, the Dimasa National Liberation Army (DNLA) and the Dimasa Peoples’ Supreme Council (DPSC).
According to an official order, the Group of Ministers will examine the report submitted by a committee constituted to look into issues related to the Dimasa language, as provided under Clause 5.1 of the 2023 settlement agreement.
The two-member panel comprises Assam Education Minister Ranoj Pegu and Hill Areas Minister Krishnendu Paul. The ministers have been tasked with studying the recommendations contained in the committee report and examining various aspects related to the preservation, promotion and development of the Dimasa language.
After examining the report, the Group of Ministers will submit its recommendations to the state government for further necessary action.
The official order said the panel had been constituted specifically to examine the “Report of the Committee constituted in connection with matters relating to Protection, Promotion and Development of the Dimasa Language”, in accordance with the provisions of Clause 5.1 of the 2023 MoS.
The Hill Areas Department has been directed to provide the required secretarial support to the ministerial group during its deliberations and examination of the committee’s recommendations.
The development comes as part of the implementation of the settlement reached in 2023 with the DNLA and DPSC, aimed at addressing various issues concerning the Dimasa community.
The Dimasa language is spoken primarily by the Dimasa community in Assam’s hill districts and adjoining areas. Issues concerning the preservation and development of indigenous languages have remained an important component of efforts to strengthen cultural and linguistic identity in the region.
The ministerial panel is expected to examine the recommendations in detail before placing its views before the state government, which will take further decisions on the matter.
–IANS
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