The parliamentary committee had recommended in March this year that all its ministries and departments should ensure that half their advertisements were issued in Hindi.
At present, as per the Print Media Advertisement Policy of the Information and Broadcasting ministry, ministries and departments are supposed to spend 30% of their advertisement budget on advertisements in English newspapers, 35% in Hindi newspapers and 35% in regional and other language newspapers.
President Pranab Mukherjee just a few days ahead of his farewell, now has approved the recommendation of the parliamentary committee with little modification saying that every advertisement issued by any government ministry or department in English or a regional language “will also be compulsorily issued in Hindi”. The Centre has also sent a letter asking for compliance of the same to all 88 central ministries and departments.
Regarding the announcement of the President, a senior official said that this decision will lead to more ads being released in Hindi and even English newspapers having Hindi advertisements.