Maharashtra's transport minister, Pratap Sarnaik, has asked the state transport department to make sure that all social messages on commercial vehicles are displayed in Marathi. The new rule will come into effect on Gudi Padwa, the Marathi New Year, which will be celebrated on March 30, this year.
As per reports, Sarnaik stated that Marathi is the official language of Maharashtra and is spoken by most people in the state. He highlighted that Marathi has received classical language status due to the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said that the state government has a responsibility to preserve and promote Marathi.
It should be noted that many commercial vehicles in Maharashtra currently display social messages, awareness slogans, and advertisements in Hindi or other languages. Phrases like "Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao" are commonly seen on trucks and public transport.
Under the new rule, these messages will be written in Marathi instead. For smooth implementation, Sarnaik has instructed the transport commissioner to apply the rule to all commercial vehicles registered in Maharashtra.
The move will increase the presence of Marathi in public spaces and strengthen its role in daily communication. The Mahayuti government has also introduced other measures to promote Marathi.
In February, the Maharashtra government passed a resolution making Marathi mandatory in all government offices. All employees, except those from foreign countries and non-Marathi-speaking states, must speak Marathi when interacting with visitors.
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