India : Official Languages Rules (1976)

 Context :-

The 1963 Office Languages Act gave birth to the 1976 Official Languages Rules, which were amended in 1987. Note that the "official" languages of the Indian Union (federal government) are Hindi and English, not the 18 "constitutional" languages.

Complete Text of the Official Languages Act :-

Department of Official Language
The Official Languages Rules (1976)
Use for Official Purpose of the Union

G.S.R 1052 - In exercise of the powers conferred by section 8, read with sub-section(4) of section 3 of the Official Languages Act, 1963 (19 of 1963), the Central Government hereby makes the following rules, namely:

Article 1

Short title, extent and commencement

(i) These rules may be called the Official Languages (Use for Official Purposes of the Union) Rules, 1976.

(ii) They shall extend to the whole of India, except the State of Tamilnadu.

(iii) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.

Article 2

Definitions - In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires:

a) "Act" means the Official Languages Act, 1963 (19 of 1963):

b) "Central Government Office" includes:-

(i) any Ministry, Department or office of the Central Government,

(ii) any office of a Commission, Committee or Tribunal appointed by the Central Government; and

(iii) any office of a corporation or company owned or controlled by the Central Government;

c) "Employee" means any person employed in a Central Government office;

d) "Notified Office" means an office notified under sub-rule (4) of rule 10;

e) "Proficiency in Hindi " means proficiency in Hindi as described in rule 9;

f) "Region A" means the States of Bihar, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh and the Union Territories of Delhi and Andaman and Nicobar Islands;

g) "Region B" means the States of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Punjab and the Union Territory of Chandigarh;

h) "Region C" means the States and the Union Territories other than those referred to in clauses (f) and (g);

(i)"Working knowledge of Hindi" means working knowledge of Hindi as described in rule 10.

Article 3

Communications to States and other than to Central Government offices

1) Communications from a Central Government office to a State or a Union Territory in Region "A" or to any office (not being a Central Government office) or person in such State or Union Territory shall, save in exceptional cases, be in Hindi, and if any communication is issued to any of them in English it shall be accompanied by a Hindi translation thereof.

2) Communications from a Central Government office:

(a) to a State or Union Territory in Region "B" or to any office (not being a Central Government office) in such State or Union Territory shall ordinarily be in Hindi and if any communication is issued to any of them in English, it shall be accompanied by a Hindi translation thereof;

Provided that if any such State or Union Territory desires the communications of any particular class or category or those intended for any of its offices, to be sent for a period specified by the Government of the State or Union Territory concerned, in English, or in Hindi with a translation in the other language, such communication shall be sent in that manner;

(b) to any person in a State or Union Territory of Region "B" may be either in Hindi or English.

(3) Communications from a Central Government office to State or Union Territory in Region "C" or to any office (not being a Central Government office) or person in such State shall be in English.

(4) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-rules (1) and (2), communications from a Central Government office in Region "C" to a State or Union Territory of Region "A" or Region "B" or to any office (not being a Central Government office) or person in such State may be either in Hindi or in English.

Provided that communications in Hindi shall be in such proportion as the Central Government may, having regard to the number of persons having working knowledge of Hindi in such offices, the facilities for sending communications in Hindi and matters incidental thereto determine from time to time.

Article 4

Communications between Central Government Offices communications

(a) Between one Ministry or Department of the Central Government and another may be in Hindi or in English;

(b) Between one Ministry or Department of the Central Government and attached or subordinate offices situated in Region "A", shall be in Hindi and in such proportion as the Central Government may, having regard to the number of persons having a working knowledge of Hindi in such offices, the facilities for sending communications in Hindi and matters incidental thereto, determine from time to time;

(c) Between Central Government offices situated in Region "A", other than those specified in clause (a) or clause (b), shall be in Hindi;

(d) Between Central Government offices situated in Region "A" and offices in Region "B" or Region "C" may be in Hindi or in English:

Provided that these communications shall be in Hindi in such proportion as the Central Government may, having regard to the number of persons having working knowledge of Hindi in such offices, the facilities for sending communications in Hindi and matters incidental thereto, determine from time to time:

(e) Between Central Government offices situated in Region "B" or Region "C" may be in Hindi or English;

Provided that these communications shall be in Hindi in such proportion as the Central Government may, having regard to the number of persons having working knowledge of Hindi in such offices, the facilities for sending communications in Hindi and matters incidental thereto, determine from time to time;

Provided that a translation of such communication in the other language shall:

(i) Where that communication is addressed to an office in Region "A" or Region "B", be provided, if necessary, at the receiving end;

(ii) where the communication is addressed to an office in Region "C", be provided along with such communication;

Provided further that no such translation in the other language shall be required to be provided if the communication is addressed to a notified office.

Article 5 

Replies to communications received in Hindi

Notwithstanding anything contained rules 3 and 4, communications from a Central Government office in reply to communications in Hindi shall be in Hindi.

Article 6

Use of both Hindi and English

Both Hindi and English shall be used for all documents referred to in sub-section (3) of section 3 of the Act and it shall be the responsibility of the persons signing such documents to ensure that such documents are made, executed or issued both in Hindi and in English.

Article 7

Application, representations etc.

1) An employee may submit an application, appeal or representation in Hindi or in English.

2) Any Application, appeal or representation referred to in sub-rule (1) when made or signed in Hindi, shall be replied to in Hindi.

3) Where an employee desires any order or notice relating to service matters (including disciplinary proceedings) required to be served on him to be in Hindi, or as the case may be, in English, it shall be given to him in that language without undue delay.

Article 8

Noting in Central Government offices

(1) an employee may record a note or minute on a file in Hindi or in English without being himself required to furnish a translation thereof in the other language.

(2) No Central Government employee possessing a working knowledge of Hindi may ask for an English translation of any document in Hindi except in the case of documents of legal or technical nature.

(3) If any question arises as to whether a particular document is of a legal or technical nature, it shall be decided by the Head of the Department or office.

(4) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-rule (1), the Central Government may, by order specify the notified offices where Hindi alone shall be used for noting, drafting and for such other official purposes as may be specified in the order by employees who possess proficiency in Hindi.

Article 9

Proficiency in Hindi

An employee shall be deemed to possess proficiency in Hindi if:-

(a) he has passed the Matriculation or any equivalent or higher examination with Hindi as the medium of examination; or

(b) he has taken Hindi as an elective subject in the degree examination or any other examination equivalent to or higher than the degree examination; or

(c) he declares himself to possess proficiency in Hindi in the form annexed to these rules.

Article 10

Working knowledge of Hindi

(1) An employee shall be deemed to have acquired a working knowledge of Hindi -

(a) If he has passed

(i) the Matriculation or an equivalent or higher examination with Hindi as one of the subjects; or

(ii) the Pragya examination conducted under the Hindi Teaching Scheme of the Central Government or when so specified by that Government in respect of any particular category of posts, any lower examination under that Scheme; or

(iii) any other examination specified in that behalf by the Central Government; or

(b) if he declares himself to have acquired such knowledge in the form annexed to these rules.

(2) The Staff of a Central Government office shall ordinarily be deemed to have acquired a working knowledge of Hindi if eighty per cent of the Staff working therein have acquired such knowledge.

(3) The Central Government or any officer specified in this behalf by the Central Government may determine whether the staff of a Central Government office has acquired a working knowledge of Hindi.

(4) The names of the Central Government offices, the staff whereof have acquired a working knowledge of Hindi, shall be notified in the Official Gazette:

Provided that the Central Government may if it is of opinion that the percentage of the staff working in a notified office and having a working knowledge of Hindi has gone below the percentage specified in sub-rule (2) from any date, it may, by notification in the Official Gazette, declare that the said office shall cease to be a notified office from that date.

Article 11 

Manuals, Codes, other procedural literature, articles of Stationery, etc.

(1) All manuals, codes and other procedural literature relating to Central Government offices shall be printed or cyclostyled, as the case may be, and published both in Hindi and English in diglot form.

(2) The forms and headings of registers used in any Central Government office shall be in Hindi and in English.

(3) All name-plates, sign-boards, letter-heads and inscriptions on envelopes and other items of stationery written, printed or inscribed for use in any Central Government office, shall be in Hindi and in English:

Provided that the Central Government may, if it is considered necessary to do by general or special order exempt any Central Government office from all or any of the provisions of this rule.

Article 12

Responsibility for compliance

(1) It shall be the responsibility of the administrative head of each Central Government office

(i) to ensure that the provisions of the Act and these rules and directions issued under 545-rule 2 are properly complied with; and

(ii) to devise suitable and effective check-point for this purpose.

(2) The Central Government may from time to time issue such directions to its employees and offices as may be necessary for the due compliance of the provisions of the Act and these rules.

 Summary

Section 2 of the Rules identifies three regions for the application of official languages:

• Region "A": States of Bihar, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh and the Territories of Delhi and Andaman and Nicobar Islands;
• Region "B": States of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Punjab and the Territory of Chandigarh;
• Region "C": all other states and territories

Section 3 of the Rules stipulates that communications between a central government office and a state or union territory in Region "A" will, except in exceptional circumstances, be in Hindi and any communication issued to any of them in English is to be accompanied by a Hindi translation. Region "B" has the same requirements, except that communications are "ordinarily" in Hindi. Communications between a central government office and a union territory in Region "C," however, are to be in English. Communications between a government office in Region "C" and a state or union territory in Region "A" or Region "B" may be in Hindi or English.

Section 4 of the Rules states that, in Region "A," communications between one ministry or department of the central government and another may be in Hindi or English; communications between central government offices in Region "A" and offices in Region "B" or Region "C" may be in Hindi or English.

Under Section 6 of the Rules, Hindi and English are to be used for all documents referred to in the Official Languages Act, and it is the responsibility of the persons signing such documents to ensure that such documents are made, executed or issued both in Hindi and in English.

Under Section 8 of the Official Languages Rules, no central government employee with a working knowledge of Hindi may ask for an English translation of any document in Hindi except in the case of documents of a legal or technical nature.

In Section 10, the Rules state that an employee is deemed to have a working knowledge of Hindi if he has passed the Matriculation or an equivalent in Hindi, or the "Pragya" examination or any other examination specified by the central government. The staff of a federal government office are considered to have acquired a working knowledge of Hindi if 80% of the staff have acquired such knowledge.

Under Section 11 of the Rules, forms, register headings, and inscriptions on envelopes or other stationery items used in all central government offices are to be in Hindi and English.

Note that the two official versions of the Rules are in Hindi and English.

 

 

BANANA CHIPS PREPARATION AND MARKETING

Materials we need

To prepare the banana chips we need the following materials:-

Raw banana (Nendran), oil, salt, spices, Gas, Knives, small fruit slicer or hand slicer, Plastic buckets, bowls, Polythene bags, brand labels and Bag sealer. 

Hand slicer

 Selection of raw material and purchasing of bananas from wholesalers

Nendran, a variety of banana growing in some parts of South India is the most suitable variety for making chips. Traditionally, raw Nendran bananas are essential to use under-ripe green bananas as these have the correct texture for drying and frying. If plantain is used, select nearly ripe fruit that has stiff and starchy flesh. Ripe and over ripe bananas and plantains should not be used as the texture is too soft to make the chips.

Preparation of raw material 

Bananas should be peeled just before they are used because when the flesh is exposed to the air it turns brown. This does not affect the eating quality but it does not look very attractive. Peeled bananas can be prevented from turning brown by brushing them with a solution of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) or the juice from lemon, lime or orange. Alternatively, the peeled banana slices can be soaked in a solution of citric acid (made by mixing 1 part lemon juice with 2-3 parts water) for 3-5 minutes. Do not leave the slices in the water for longer than this as they become too wet and soft and will take longer to dry. Remove the slices from the water and allow to drain.

 Slice the bananas crosswise or diagonally crosswise for the smaller bananas into slices that are about 1-2 mm thick. Try to ensure that all pieces are the same thickness so that they all dry and fry at the same rate. A packet of banana chips of varying thicknesses is less attractive than one in which the pieces are of uniform thickness. You can use a small kitchen slicer to ensure that the pieces are of uniform thickness. However, for Nendran chips do not make very thin or thick slices. Pre-treat the slices with acidified water, a solution of ascorbic acid, a fruit juice dip or a honey dip to prevent them from browning.

Chips preparation process:-

There are two different methods for making banana chips. One of these is to deep fry thin slices of banana in hot oil, in the same way as potato chips or crisps. Traditionally, coconut oil is used for deep-frying the Nendran chips, which will give a pleasant aroma while eating.

The other is to dry slices of banana, either in the sun or using a solar or artificial dryer. The products made by the two methods are quite different. The deep fried chips tend to be a savoury, high calorie product that is eaten as a snack food. Because they are deep fried in oil they have a fairly short shelf life- up to 2 months maximum when stored in the correct conditions. The oil is prone to turning rancid and the crisps to becoming soft if they are not stored in air-tight containers. The dried chips are a more ‘wholesome’ product. They too are eaten as a snack food and are often added to cereal mixes such as muesli. The chips can be dried without any additives or they can be coated with a syrup or honey dip prior to drying which gives a sweeter tasting, higher calorie and possibly more attractive looking product. Chips made by drying have a longer shelf life (up to 6 months) as long as they are dried to a low moisture content and stored in a cool dry place. Bananas can also be dried whole or in long strips until they are leathery and chewy. They have a higher sugar content and are not crispy like the dried chips. They are sometimes referred to as banana figs. This brief explains how to make fried banana and plantain chips and dried banana chips.

 

 Fried banana chips Principles of preservation Under-ripe mature banana or plantain is cut into thin slices and fried to a crisp texture. The slices can be partially dried before frying which removes some of the moisture and makes them more crispy. Frying removes some of the water, gelatinizes the starch, destroys enzymes and micro-organisms and gives a crisp product with a characteristic aroma and taste. 

FRIED BANANA CHIPS – PROCESS FLOW-CHART  

Quality Control :-

After drying and cool to room temperature.  All the products needs to be thoroughly checked by quality control team.  Finally, passed products are only now eligible and ready for moisture-proof packaging.  

Packaging and labeling of product :-

You may your moisture-proof packing are being done through manual or automation project. Labeling including all product information i.e. date of manufacturing, product expiry date, calorie details with company logo should be pre-printed in bio-degradable packets.

Storage :-

On completion of individual packaging, these should be shifted into medium range cartoons (one cartoons containing 48 individual packets) and also the cartoons may be stored in warehouses.

Tagline :-

Best quality is our moto

Grading and standardization :-

The 'xxx Chips Company” to be registered with Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) and should also be registered with Food Safety and Standards Authority of the country (As per your country policies).

Channels of distribution

Further the final products may distributes all over the country, also you may export the products to other countries.