Kannada awaits 'status' funds

The benefits under the much hyped classical status to Kannada are unlikely to materialise soon as the Planning Commission has deferred allocation of funds for the project  to the 12th Five Year Plan.

Funds will be allocated only after 2012 for starting activities. Kannada received the classical language status in 2008. “Though the 12th Plan will start from 2012, the funds need not be allocated in the first year of the plan,” sources in the Commission told Deccan Herald.

Union Law Minister M Veerappa Moily, however, said, “we are trying to get some seed money to start the programme this year itself.” The HRD Ministry had earlier submitted a proposal worth Rs. 2.2 crore to set up various facilities that accrue from the grant of classical status. However the Planning Commission said that as this was a new scheme, it could be considered in the 12th Five Year Plan beginning 2012. Interestingly, when Tamil gained classical status in 2004, the Centre allocated sufficient funds to take up programmes including the setting up of a research institute in Chennai.

Admitting that the Plan panel  had refused to allocate funds, Moily who worked for getting classical status for Kannada and Telugu, said he would again request the HRD ministry to pursue the issue. After classical status was bestowed on Kannada and Telugu, the HRD ministry had sent a detailed proposal to the Planning Commission seeking its approval to set up a Centre of Excellence for Studies in Classical Languages (Kannada and Telugu - CESCL) at the Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysore.

According to the proposal, the CESCL would have a wing each for Kannada and Telugu (both got the classical tag in the same year). Apart from undertaking research activities, the CESCL was to institute three awards (two of them international) in both the languages comprising cash awards of Rs five lakh each for scholars. Besides, it was to grant five young scholars, an award of Rs 1 lakh each.

The CESCL was to set up a full-fledged library and offer some research fellowships on the UGC pattern, digitise research and publish Kannada and Telugu classical texts and research works in both print and electronic media.

Planning goes awry

* Allocation of funds put off to 12th Five Year Plan
* Rs 2.2-cr proposal can be considered only in the 12th Plan, says Plan panel.
* Ministry had sought approval to set up a Centre of Excellence for Studies in Classical Languages (Kannada & Telugu) at the Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysore