PANJIM: Almost after a month, the government departments are yet to update their websites as the State is yet to reconstitute the Multilingual Website Monitoring and Approval Authority, for the implementation of the Official Language Act, 1987.
During the Legislative Assembly session which concluded last month, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had assured the members that the government will revive the Multilingual Website Monitoring and Approval Authority for effective implementation of Official Language Act, 1987 and ensure that the websites of most government departments are updated by February 4 (Official Language Day).
In 2013, the State government constituted an eight-member Multilingual Website Monitoring and Approval Authority, to ensure that all existing government department websites, portals and e-governance services are redesigned to provide multi-lingual support within a span of two years.
This would allow citizens of the State to access, interact and avail of government information and service through digital media using the language of their choice.
One of the objectives was that all government departments and semi-government corporations would display all the information in the Official Language and Marathi in addition to English.
When contacted, the Director of Official Language Raju Gawas said that the process to update government websites is underway. The department has already written to the State government to reconstitute the Multilingual Website Monitoring and Approval Authority, for the effective implementation of the Official Language Act, of 1987.
Former Director of Official Language Prakash Vazrikar said, “During my tenure the Multilingual Website Monitoring and Approval Authority was constituted and we prepared the draft policy and approved the same. But it was not implemented till I was relieved in December 2017.”
The government has roped Goa Electronics Limited (GEL) onboard as the designated agency so as to update the websites of as many as 110 government departments. But there’s a very long way to go.
