BHUBANESWAR: In a move to spread and preserve history and culture of Odisha and enrich the Odia language further, the State Government on Tuesday decided to set up a 'heritage cabinet' to be headed by chief minister Naveen Patnaik.
A proposal to this effect was approved at a Cabinet meeting presided over by the CM at Puri. The cabinet meeting was held for the first time in history outside the State capital and also conducted entirely in Odia, another first for the State.
It was decided that the culture department will be separated from the tourism and culture department and renamed as 'Odia Language, Literature and Culture' department. A proposal to amend the Orissa Official Language Act, 1954 was approved by the cabinet to make provisions of punishment for not using Odia in official work. Besides, incentives will also be announced for employees and departments for use of Odia in official correspondence and file work.
Guidelines for punishment and incentive to employees will be decided soon. The amended act will be implemented at the district, revenue and state levels from April 1, 2018. Odi Language Commission will be set up for spread and preservation of Odia language.
Besides, required changes will also be brought in the Orissa Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1956 and its Rules, 1958 for making signboards in Odia mandatory within a fixed time schedule. A separate portal will be launched to identify the violators of the guidelines.
It was also decided that world conference on Odia language will be organised every five years and fees for studying Odia at the graduate and post-graduate level in colleges and universities will be waived. The cabinet approved a proposal to relax the criteria for getting Byasakabi Fakir Mohan scholarship for students. Talented students securing high mark in Odia at plus two and plus three levels will now be eligible for the scholarship.
Besides, more incentives will be given for research in Odia language and literature in the pattern of University Grants Commission. The number of professors in Odia departments in colleges and universities will be increased if required to facilitate more research in the field of Odia language and literature.
It was decided that workshops will be organised by government colleges and universities on Odia language and literature. Papers presented in these seminars will be published. Steps will be taken for translation of Odia books to other languages and translation of classics of other languages to Odia. Prizes will be given for research, children's literature, science books, Odia websites and blogs. Besides, books fairs will be organised at the district and state levels annually.
A proposal to set up libraries in all high schools was cleared. Classics in Odia and awarded books in other languages translated to Odia will be provided to the libraries. Non-resident Odias will also be taught Odia through the Odia Virtual Academy.
It was also decided that the birth anniversary of Atibadi Jagannath Das will be celebrated by the government in a grand manner. Besides, a proposal to renovate "Bhagabat Tungis" in villages was also approved.
The series of decisions mark the 20th foundation of Biju Janata Dal which the ruling party celebrated at Puri.