Prithviraj Chavan wants classical language status for Marathi

Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan today said a committee of writers and linguists had been set up to prepare the proposal seeking "classical language" status for Marathi.
     
"The proposal will be sent to the Centre soon. The
committee comprises experts like Cicilia Carvalo, Ashok
Kelkar, Kumar Ketkar and Arun Sadhu, among others," Chavan,
who also heads the Marathi Language Department, told the
Assembly while replying to the debate on the supplementary
demands for the Department.
     
He also said that the appointment of the new chairperson
of Language Advisory Committee, in the place of Justice
Narendra Chapalgaonkar, would be made soon.
     
The Chief Minister said that Chapalgaonkar quit the
Committee as he was unable to travel to Mumbai for the
meetings.
     
Chavan assured that vacancies in the Marathi Department
would be filled up soon, and steps would be taken to increase
the use of Marathi in the official work at Mantralaya.
     
The opposition staged a walkout when the supplementary
demands were put to vote, protesting government's silence on
the issue of alleged irregularities in the Tribal Development
and Social Justice Departments.