- As informed by the Ministry of Education, the National Education Policy, 2020 focuses on promoting all Indian languages including regional languages. The Government of India has initiated a program known as the Scheme for protection and Preservation of Endangered Languages of India (SPPEL). Under this scheme, the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL), Mysore works on the protection, preservation and documentation of all languages/mother tongues of India spoken by less than 10,000 people.
Under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, there are provisions to recognize the traditional rights usually enjoyed by forest dwellers and for the empowerment of Gram Sabha and village-level institutions where there are forest rights holders, to preserve their cultural and natural heritage.
This answer was given by Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Smt. Renuka Singh Saruta to Lok Sabha today in a written response.
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NB/SK