Mysuru: Kannada Development Authority (KDA) Chairman S.G. Siddharamaiah held a review meeting with District authorities at the ZP Hall this morning and directed all district officials to implement Kannada in administration.

“Hundred percent implementation of Kannada as the administrative language has not materialised in the State owing to negligence of officials.

The KDA has written to secretaries of all departments, deputy commissioners, heads of all departments, vice-chancellors and State-owned public sector undertakings to strictly implement Kannada as the administrative language. Despite this, we are not seeing results,” he said.

It may be recalled here that the State Government had ordered all the officers to implement Kannada as the administrative language saying it would initiate an action against those who failed to do so.

Siddharamaiah, a Kannada poet from Nelamangala in Bengaluru Rural district, took over as the KDA Chairman on Nov. 3, last year. He is also the Chairman of Karnataka State Schools Empowerment Committee.

Siddharamaiah stressed on the need for implementing Kannada in all State and Central Government offices, private establishments and IT&BT companies. He pointed out that it was public service and Kannada implementation was mandatory.

Noting that Karnataka had accepted the 3-language formula, he said that it was the duty of everyone to see to it that Kannada was accorded top priority in administration and added that English and Hindi can only be used next. He expressed regret over less use of Kannada in websites, social networks and other communication platforms.

He asked Deputy Commissioner D. Randeep why there was less use of Kannada in District Administration website, to which the DC replied that the website maintenance was the job of National Information Centre (NIC) who has to update Kannada software.

Stating that the District Administration was using Kannada to the maximum extent possible, Randeep highlighted that the Nudi software was being used in Government offices and he has plans to make full use of Kannada in Government websites in about two months, by using the latest technology.

Siddharamaiah directed the Zilla Kannada Jagruti Samiti, which is headed by the DC, to meet regularly and make sure that Kannada development is discussed at all KDP meetings.

Continuing, Siddharamaiah said that he had received inputs that there were less than 50 per cent Kannadigas employed in manufacturing industries, IT&BT companies and other business and trade establishments. He directed DIC Joint Director Ramakrishne Gowda to see to it that 100 percent Kannadigas are appointed to Group C&D posts and at least 40 per cent to Group A&B posts in industries and other non-Government establishments, when they came to the Industries Department for licence renewal or any other certificates.

He further said that he had received many complaints on the lack Kannada usage in University of Mysore and CFTRI. Taking Irrigation Department officials to task for placing English advertisements in Kannada newspapers, he said that action must be taken against the Department officials who had skipped the meeting.

Earlier, Kannada Development Authority (KDA) Secretary Dr. Muralidhar explained the objectives of KDA and its initiatives. KDA nominated members Sa. Ra. Sudarshan, Maddikere Gopal, Mylahalli Revanna and Kannada Pramoda, District Kannada Sahitya Parishat Mysuru President Dr. Y.D. Rajanna, Kannada and Culture Assistant Director H. Chennappa and other officials were present during the meeting.