The Odisha government has decided to split the tourism and culture department and take a slew of measures including setting up of an Odia Language Commission to spread and popularise the state language. The decision was taken at the meeting of the state Cabinet, which was held for the first time at Puri, instead of the secretariat in Bhubaneswar. The government also decided to set up a ‘Heritage Cabinet’ to protect the monuments, ancient temples and take steps to preserve the state’s culture, language and literature, Tourism and Culture Minister Ashok Chandra Panda said after the Cabinet meeting.
After bifurcating the tourism and culture department, the government decided to rename the cultural wing as Odia Language, Literature and Culture Department. Stating that the government has taken several decisions to enrich the Odia language, the minister said the Odisha Official Language Act, 1954 will soon be amended.
