New Delhi, Jul 5 (IANS): In a bid to promote Sanskrit, the government has advised Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan (RSKS), Delhi, Sri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha (SLBSRSV), Delhi and Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha (RSV), Tirupati to adopt two villages each, and make the dwellers conversant in the language.

The information was provided by Union Human Resource Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank' in a written reply to the Upper House on Thursday.

His reply added that Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan has already adopted five villages -- Jubatara (Mohanpur), Tripura, Masot (Pragpur), Himachal Pradesh, Chittebail (Shimoga), Karnataka, Adat (Puzhakkal), Kerala and Barai (Huzoor), Madhya Pradesh.

He added that the Centre has taken several steps for promotion of Sanskrit including financial assistance to NGOs and higher educational institutes of Sanskrit for various projects, financial assistance for publication and reprint of rare Sanskrit books and engaging retired eminent Sanskrit scholars under the Shastra Chudamani scheme for teaching.

In another reply to Lok Sabha earlier, the Minister had said that over 800 posts of teachers of the total 1,748 are lying vacant in Sanskrit universities and institutions funded by central and state governments.

He had said the government has launched a special drive to fill up vacancies and is currently engaging the guest and part-time faculty to meet the shortage.