Odisha Govt Unveils Ambitious Plan to Promote Odia Language; Check Details Here

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has unveiled a comprehensive plan to bolster the promotion and preservation of the Odia language. This initiative follows the resolutions passed at the inaugural World Odia Language Conference held in the capital city recently, as revealed by Odia Language Literature and Culture Minister Aswini Kumar Patra in the Assembly today.

Under the leadership of the CM, the state government has committed to establishing a Rs 10-crore corpus fund to support research on Odia language at national and international levels. This initiative will be executed through the Odia University situated in Satyabadi.

To ensure standardisation of Odia fonts used in computer keyboards, an expert committee will be constituted. Additionally, the government will initiate the recruitment of special Odia teachers in 1,500 high schools initially, expanding to include all high schools in subsequent phases.

Furthermore, to promote education in the Odia medium, the government will provide financial assistance of Rs 1 crore to schools celebrating their centenary, and Rs 2 crore to public universities established before independence.

The state government is also committed to facilitating the translation of Odia books into other languages and will establish a committee for the creation of a comprehensive Odia dictionary. In a bid to encourage technical and medical education in Odia, a policy framework will be introduced, along with support for the publication of Odia books.

To engage Odia youth, the government will honour 100 budding talents and launch the Chief Minister’s Cup debate competition in Odia. Initiatives like setting up public libraries and Odia chairs in universities both within and outside India are also on the agenda.

In the realm of online education, the government will develop the Odia Learning Management System (OLMS) to provide Odia language education to non-resident Odia children. Additionally, the Orissan Institute of Maritime and South East Asian Studies (OIMSEAS) is set to be elevated to a centre of excellence, receiving an annual assistance of Rs 2 crore.