Odisha Govt To Set Up Rs 200 Cr Corpus Fund To Promote ‘Odia Asmita’

Bhubaneswar, Jul 10: The Odisha cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, on Wednesday approved a proposal to create a Rs 200-crore corpus fund to take various initiatives for revival of ‘Odia Asmita' (Odia pride) and promotion of art, culture and heritage of the State.

Speaking to reporters, Chief Minister Majhi said the corpus fund Rs 200 crore will be utilised for the establishment of Odisha Asmita Bhawan, Odia translation academy, a world-class palm leaf manuamp-script museum, development of the Paika rebellion memorial and e-library at the district level.

Setting up Odia chair at national and international universities, financial assistance for training in Odissi music and dance and development of a cultural troupe management system will also be part of the initiatives, the Chief Minister said.

“The cabinet decided to create the Rs 200 crore-corpus fund for revival of Odia Asmita and promotion of Odia art, culture, and heritage,” he told reporters after the cabinet meeting.

The Chief Minister said an expert committee would be formed for the purpose and the corpus fund will be enhanced in future.

The State Cabinet also gave its nod to revise the minimum daily wages of unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled and highly-skilled labourers in the state.

The daily wages are now in the range of Rs 450 to Rs 600, the Chief Minister said.

The Cabinet also decided to spend Rs 1044 crore in the coming five years to revive the defunct lift irrigation projects and boost the capability of the operational irrigation projects in the state. The cabinet meeting also approved several other major proposals of different departments.

This was the second meeting of the State cabinet of the newly formed BJP government since it assumed office on June 12.