Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has expressed concern over the declining use of Konkani among Goans, stating that many families have stopped speaking the language at home and that a growing number of people have forgotten how to read and write it.
The Chief Minister made the remarks while inaugurating the 14th Jayanti Utsav of Shenoi Goembab, regarded as one of the foremost champions of the Konkani language. “Nowadays people have stopped conversing in Konkani at home. Many have already forgotten how to read and write the language. The identity of a Mul Goenkar lies in the language and culture that define us,” Sawant said.
While encouraging the younger generation to acquire new language skills for better employment opportunities, especially abroad, Sawant stressed that learning foreign languages should not come at the cost of neglecting one’s mother tongue.
“People have a notion that if they have to go outside Goa for work, there is no need to learn Konkani. I am not against learning foreign languages. The government promotes foreign language education, but learning and preserving our native language is equally important,” he said.
Sawant also highlighted measures taken by his government to strengthen the status of Konkani in public employment. He noted that proficiency in Konkani was made mandatory for direct recruitment through the Goa Staff Selection Commission.
“In the past six decades, a majority of non-Goans secured government jobs through the recruitment system. With Konkani now being mandatory, the descendants of those who fought to preserve the language are benefiting from these opportunities,” Sawant said.
He reiterated that preserving Konkani is essential to safeguarding Goa’s cultural identity and urged citizens to continue using the language in their daily lives.
