Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government Sunday decided to set up a Directorate of Odisha Parivar and a dedicated portal to create a one stop point of contact and support for people of the state who live in other parts of the country and across the world.
The proposal in this regard was approved at the state Cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in digital mode during his stay in Japan.
Odisha’s Food, Supplies and Consumer Welfare and Cooperation minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak and Chief Secretary briefed the media after the cabinet meeting.
The minister said that the new Directorate of Odisha Parivar will function under the Department of Odia Language, Literature and Culture. It will have a better connect with Pravasi Odias within the country and across the world.
The directorate will also engage with the diaspora in the growth journey of Odisha by leveraging their knowledge, skills, and global reach while also making efforts to resolve any issues they may be facing, said Satyabrat Sahu, additional chief secretary of Odia Language, Literature and Culture department.
This apart, the directorate will act as a single point of interface with Departments of the Odisha Government for resolution of specific issues relating to labour, students, cultural promotions, clearances and others.
The directorate will enlist Odia Associations in different parts of India and in foreign countries. This will develop a closer relationship with the people of Odisha living in different states and abroad including gen next through partnerships at individual, institutional, and civil society levels on matters relating to promotion of Odia Language, culture, and heritage, tourism and sports, handlooms and handicrafts, Sahu said.
The new directorate will also enlist organizations involved in furthering the cause of cultural heritage of Odisha. It will enlist Shree Jagannath Temples located in different parts of India and other parts of the world.
It will promote the Cultural heritage of Odisha, Celebration of Odisha Dibasa, Organizing World Odia Conferences, at regular intervals in association with Odia scholars, creative writers living in different parts of the world. The directorate will bring out selected Odia works in other languages of India and important languages of the world.
In order to promote Odia economic and skill networking to harness investment opportunities in Odisha and job opportunities for Odia people, the directorate will work, he said, adding that the directorate will reach out to NROs in distress and provide possible support.
The directorate will develop a dedicated portal titled “Paribar-the portal for Pravasi Odias-Connecting the roots”.
The advisory council of the directorate will be headed by the Chief Minister and executive committee will be headed by the Chief Secretary with members from various departments of the state government.
Besides, the Cabinet also took six other decisions mostly relating to finalization of tenders to facilitate piped drinking water facilities.
PTI
