BENGALURU: The state government will soon constitute an enforcement wing under the Kannada and Culture Department to ensure 60% Kannada on the name boards of all business and industrial establishments.
The wing will have powers to impose penalties on violators and cancel their trade licences.
The Kannada Language Comprehensive Development Bill was passed in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday. “We are formulating rules and regulations to ensure 60% Kannada on name boards,” Kannada and Culture Minister Shivaraj Thangadagi said.
The government will also develop a Kannada vigilance app to file complaints related to violation of rules pertaining to the use of Kannada language. Such complaints will be sent to the committees formed to initiate action.
‘Enforcing Kannada rules a big challenge’
Tangadag i said the Bill was amended not only to make 60% Kannada mandatory on name boards, but also to constitute a state-level committee to frame new rules and regulations in this regard.
The committee will form the enforcement wing with officials from various departments, including the police. “Licences of the violators will be cancelled,” he said.
Tangadagi said the enforcement of rules regarding the use of Kannada language will be a big challenge in Bengaluru city. If the rules are enforced successfully in Bengaluru, they can be done easily elsewhere in the state,” he added.
Eight committees will be formed in Bengaluru to enforce the rules, the minister said. Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R Ashoka said the enforcement wing should have powers enjoyed by the traffic police. “MNCs and malls are not bothered about notices, we can make them obey rules and regulations only through penalties,” he added.