Bhubaneswar: Additional Chief Secretary Odisa Language, Literature and Culture, Satyabrata Sahu reviewed the enforcement drive to implement the State Government’s decision for mandatory use of Odia on signboards in all shops and business establishments.
ACS Shri Sahu chaired a high level meeting attended by Secretary Labor & ESI R Santhnagopalan, Labor Commissioner N Thirumala Naik, Special Secretary Madhu Sudan Dash, Director, Dilip Rautray and other senior officials.
According to official sources shops and business establishments that continue to use English on signboards are taken to task. Till 31 October, 1378 places were raided and 1135 Business Establishments were issued Show Cause Notices for the lapse.
Earlier the State Administration had issued an official circular informing all shops and business establishments to write the names of their establishments prominently in Odia, the state’s official language.
Section 38 of the Odisha Shops and Commercial Establishment Act, 1956, stipulates that all signboards and nameplates should be written in Odia with a provision to prosecute violators.
It was also decided in the meeting an awareness drive would be conducted to sensitize people and business establishments.
Similarly, keeping in view the laborers working outside the state and country, Odisha Paribar Directorate will issue guidelines. Accordingly, opinion has been solicited from the Labor Officers, said a senior officer.
It was revealed in the meeting that by 31 October, the State Administration has received 108 complaints and 1461 laborers have been rescued from various countries and states.
While the Government of Odisha has been engaging with these Pravasi Odias in different ways and circumstances, Odisha Paribar Directorate has been the single point of contact for the people of Odisha staying both within and outside the country with the State Government.
In fact this effort has strengthend the relationship between NROs and the State government and its people through an organized liaison framework, said an official.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s direction for a mechanism whereby People from Odisha spread across the States and other countries can contribute and be a part of this transformative journey, Odisha Paribar Directorate is serving the purpose, said the officer.