Odia language in Govt office from Feb

BHUBANESWAR: In all the districts of the State, Odia language will be used as official language very soon. Even the language of root chart of the town bus in the city and hoardings of the Commissionerate Police will be in Odia language. It will effect from the month of February of the current year, informed the Director of Odia Bhasha Partisthan Dr Harihar Kanungo here on Tuesday.

Steps are also taken for recommendation of Odia language as classic. Department of Culture has sanctioned Rs 2 lakh for the project initiated by the Odia Bhasha Pratisthan. It will also submit reports for classical recommendation of Odia language before the Bhasha Pratisthan of Government of India.

“Medium of the Government official works including files, noting and documents will be Odia language in all the districts of the State very soon, where English language was used before,” said Kanungo.

It may be noted that last year, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had announced that all officials work in the State Secretariat will be done in Odia instead English and other languages. A high-level meeting in this regard held at State Secretariat chaired by the then Chief Secretary Tarun Kanti Mishra.