Bengaluru, 21 Feb

Minister for Backward Class Development and Kannada and Culture, Shivaraj S Tangadagi, said on Wednesday that the multinational companies in the State should display the number of Kannadigas employed on notice boards at their respective campuses.

"Failure to comply with the language requirement may result in the cancellation of licences, as stated by the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government," he added.

The recent amendment to the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development Act 2022 applies to a wide range of establishments, including commercial, industrial, and business undertakings, trusts, counselling centres, hospitals, laboratories, amusement centres, and hotels.

All these entities, which operate with the approval and sanction of the government or local authorities, are now required to display 60 per cent of their name in Kannada on their name boards. The amendment further stipulates that Kannada must be prominently displayed at the top of the name board. This move is aimed at promoting the use of the local language in public and private sectors.

"It is considered necessary to amend Kannada Bhasha Samagra Abhivruddhi Adhiniyama, 2022 (2023 ra Karnataka Adhiniyama 13) to appoint the Director, Directorate of Kannada and Culture as the Member and the Secretary, Kannada Development Authority to be the convener of the State Level Committee and to make a provision that the name boards of Commercial, Industrial and Business Undertakings, Trusts, Counseling Centre's, Hospitals, Laboratories, Amusement Centers and Hotels etc., functioning with the approval and sanction of the Government or Local Authorities, shall ensure that their name board displays 60 per cent in Kannada language and Kannada shall be displayed in the upper half of the name board. Hence the Bill," as per the Karnataka State Assembly.