Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi underscored that children are the future and hope of the state, making the realization of their dreams a top priority. He noted that the students present had reached the state-level event after winning competitions organized at the district and block levels over the past month, emphasizing the significant role of ‘Suravi’ in unearthing hidden talent.
He was speaking at the state-level Children’s Festival ‘Suravi’, organized by the School and Mass Education Department, commenced today at Capital High School, Unit-3, Bhubaneswar. Chief Minister Shri Majhi formally inaugurated the three-day event as the chief guest, emphasizing the festival’s significance.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister stated that ‘Suravi’ is more than just a festival for talent development; it is a vital platform for nurturing the dreams, creativity, ideas, and talent of every child. He highlighted that the festival has become a unique avenue to showcase students’ abilities to the public.
The festival saw participation from over 2400 students and teaching assistants, along with more than 1000 government officers and employees. This year, children from classes 1 to 3 have also been included in the ‘Suravi’ program through the “Nipun Odisha-Nipun Bharat” initiative at the school and cluster levels.
Before the formal addresses, the Chief Minister and other guests toured an exhibition featuring various programs presented by the students. During the event, the Chief Minister honored high-achieving students from the Combined Two Examination, presenting prizes of $20,000 each to Devendra Khamaria (Arts), Sushil Kumar Nayak (Science), Swarna Rekha Mandir (Commerce), and Supriya Sutar (Vocational Education). Additionally, five students who performed exceptionally in various competitions and education were awarded language scholarships, and Divyang students received wheelchairs.
Detailing the government’s commitment to education, the Chief Minister mentioned ongoing efforts to provide quality education from pre-primary to class XII. He highlighted the implementation of the PM-Shri Yojana starting with Godavarish Adarsh Primary School and the successful state-wide implementation of the National Education Policy 2020. The government has also initiated Sishu Batika in 45,000 schools and plans to appoint child nurses for the care and early education of young children.
Demonstrating the state’s focus on education, Shri Majhi revealed a record budget allocation of $41,273 crore for the current budget. This expenditure, amounting to 14.2 percent of the current budget or 3.9 percent of the state GDP, is among the highest for education in the country, with primary education receiving the largest share.
School & Mass Education Minister Shri Nityanand Gond also addressed the event, stressing that the development of the state’s education sector depends on the simultaneous development of all levels—primary, secondary, and higher education. He affirmed that programs like the Suravi Shisha Festival are essential for fostering creativity and intellectual qualities, thereby building self-confidence in children.
The three-day festival, running from November 12 to 14, includes various activities such as competitions, local tours, interviews with eminent personalities, a best science project exhibition, a Model United Nations Pavilion, workshops, and group cultural programs.
Prominent guests at the inauguration included Bhubaneswar Ekamra MLA Shri Babu Singh, School and Mass Education, Secretary Dr. N. Tirumala Naik, OSEPA State Project Director Smt. Ananya Das, Director of Secondary Education Shri Birendra Korkara, and Director of Higher Secondary Education Smt. Niyati Patnaik.