"Taken several important steps for development of Hindi-speaking people in state": Mamata Banerjee extends greetings on Hindi Diwas

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], September 14 (ANI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday extended greetings to the people on the occasion of 'Hindi Diwas'.
In a post on X, Chief Minister Banerjee wrote, "Today is Hindi Day. On this occasion, my heartfelt best wishes to all Hindi-speaking brothers and sisters. Every year, we celebrate Hindi Day with devotion. We hold reverence for all languages."
The Chief Minister highlighted her government's initiatives for the welfare and development of the Hindi-speaking population in the state. She stated that areas in West Bengal where more than 10 per cent of the population communicates in Hindi have been accorded the status of using Hindi as an official language.
The social media post reads, "In this context, let me say that since the year 2011, we have taken several important steps for the development of Hindi-speaking people in the state. In areas where more than 10 per cent of the people speak Hindi, Hindi has been given the status of an official language. We have also recognised Santhali, Kurukh, Kudmali, Nepali, Urdu, Rajbanshi, Kamtapuri, Odia, Punjabi, and Telugu languages as official languages. We are also making efforts for the development of the Sadri language."

आज हिन्दी दिवस है। इस अवसर पर सभी हिन्दी भाषी भाई-बहनों को मेरी हार्दिक शुभ कामनाएँ। प्रत्येक वर्ष हम श्रद्धा के साथ हिन्दी दिवस मनाते हैं। हम सभी भाषाओं के प्रति श्रद्धावान हैं।

इस संदर्भ में कहूँ तो वर्ष 2011 के बाद से राज्य में हिन्दी भाषी लोगों के विकास के लिए हमने कई अहम…

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) September 14, 2025

To further promote Hindi, Chief Minister Banerjee recalled that the state government had set up the Hindi Academy, established a Hindi University in Howrah, and opened Hindi-medium degree colleges in Banarhat and Naxalbari.
"For the development of the Hindi language, the Hindi Academy has been established. Talking about the field of education, Hindi University has been established in Howrah. Hindi-medium degree colleges have been opened in Banarhat and Naxalbari. In addition, postgraduate courses in Hindi have been started in several colleges. Higher secondary question papers are now available in Hindi as well. Students of Rabindra Mukta Vidyalaya are now able to take their secondary examinations in the Hindi language," the post said.
Respecting the sentiments of the Hindi-speaking community, the West Bengal Chief Minister said her government has also declared a two-day state holiday for Chhath Puja.
Chhath Puja is a four-day-long festival that is dedicated to the deities Surya and Shashthi Devi and is mainly celebrated in Bihar, Jharkhand and Eastern Uttar Pradesh in India and Nepal.
CM Banerjee posted on X, "The free social security schemes have been launched for people working in the unorganised sector, including Hindi-speaking people and others. In view of the Ganga Sagar Mela, excellent infrastructure has been developed in that area. Respecting the sentiments of the Hindi-speaking community, the state government has announced a two-day government holiday on the occasion of Chhath Puja. I extend my heartfelt greetings to all Hindi-speaking brothers and sisters."
Hindi Diwas, celebrated annually on September 14, marks the adoption of Hindi as one of India's official languages. The day highlights the language's role in bridging diverse linguistic and cultural communities across India.
According to a press release, the Constituent Assembly on September 14, 1949, designated the Hindi language in the Devanagari script as the official language of the Union of India. The Department of Official Language under the Ministry of Home Affairs has played a vital role in promoting the use of Hindi in official matters since its inception in 1975.
Last year, the central government celebrated the Diamond Jubilee of the Official Language. (ANI)