Government signs in Goa in three languages soon: Parrikar

Government signages and official notice boards in Goa will have to be displayed in three languages - English, Marathi and Konkani - by the end of September, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar announced Thursday.

Speaking at a public function at Mayem, 30 km from here, Parrikar said that since Goans could speak either or all three languages, it would be easier for them to understand the signs.

"Goans know either of the three languages well or are familiar with them. The new signages in three languages will help them understand information easily," he said.

Parrikar's comments come at a time, when he is seen as someone close to the English language lobby in the state.

Both the English lobby as well as the vernacular languages (Konkani and Marathi) are at loggerheads with each other over issues linked to official status and financial grants from the government.

While Konkani has been accorded the status of official language, Marathi has been granted official status. English however, is the preferred mode for education as well as official communication in Goa.

Parrikar's decision to grant fiscal aid to schools teaching in English had come in for severe criticism from the vernacular groups.

The chief minister has for more than a year now gone out of his way to appease vernacular language groups. In the process he became the first finance minister in the history of the state to read the budget partly in Konkani.

The Parrikar administration is also in the process of making use of Konkani for issuance of government circulars and file notings.