BHUBANESWAR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday greeted the people of Odisha on the occasion of Utkal Divas.
“On Utkal Diwas, I convey my greetings to the kind & industrious people of Odisha and hope that Odisha’s development will attain new heights,” Modi tweeted.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik claimed that poverty has gone down and literacy rate increased in Odisha.
Addressing the State on the occasion, the Chief Minister said Odisha will observe the centenary year of its formation as a separate State in 2036 and for that, preparations have started. The Government will start preparation of a vision document ‘Odisha@100’ to make the State developed in all spheres in the centenary year.
However, his party colleague and Rajya Sabha member Baishnab Parida embarrassed the State Government by alleging that Odia language is being neglected by Government functionaries.
He also criticised the Chief Minister for not announcing implementation of Orissa Official Language Act, 1954 for the use of Odia language in official communication. Parida alleged that English continued to be the language of official communication in the Secretariat, Collectorates, blocks, panchayats and other Government offices due to indifference of the State Government.
Parida said everybody expected the Chief Minister to announce implementation of the Act, but he has disappointed by not doing so.