BHUBANESWAR: The State Government has decided to establish Odia Open University to promote the language and its literature.
A decision in this regard was taken at a high level meeting presided by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the Secretariat here on Thursday. Members of the Ministerial sub-committee on Odia language were present.
It was decided that the Orissa Official Language Act, 1954 will be implemented at all levels in Government as well as non-Government sectors. A new official website www.odia.odisha.gov.in has been launched to spread the use of Odia in every sphere.
School and Mass Education Minister Debi Prasad Mishra said Odia chairs will be opened in top educational institutions including Delhi University and Banaras Hindu University (BHU). The Minister said all Government advertisements, celebrations, seminars, workshops, training programmes, inauguration plaques and invitation cards will be in Odia.
Besides, Odia chairs will also be opened in all universities in Odisha to popularise the language further. All vacant posts of Odia language in schools and colleges will be filled up as early as possible and new posts created, he said.
The Minister said every year in April, Odia language week will be celebrated. Debate competitions will be organised in high schools, colleges and universities in the name of eminent Odia litterateurs. Successful students will be felicitated during the Odia language week celebrations, he said.
Scholarships will be instituted in schools, colleges and universities to promote research in Odia language and literature. Besides, steps will also be taken to simplify Odia words further for their use in Government departments and other spheres.
The Chief Minister said he will review implementation of decisions taken on Thursday every three months. A five-member Minister committee headed by School and Mass Education Minister was constituted in July, 2015 by the Chief Minister to recommend measures for implementation of Orissa Official Language Act, 1954 in every sphere.