Bhubaneswar: In its first ever digital meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik from Kyoto, the state cabinet on Sunday approved a proposal to set up a ‘Directorate for Odisha Paribar’ to strengthen ties between non-resident Odias and government.
The Directorate will act as a single point of interface with the government departments for resolution of specific issues relating to labour, students cultural promotion, clearances etc.
The state government will establish the Directorate for Pravasi Odia Affairs under the Culture department to have a better connect with the Pravasi Odias living in different places within the country and across the world. It will 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.
The Directorate will act as a one stop point of contact and support system for Pravasi Odias who live in other part of the country and across the world, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak said while briefing on Cabinet decisions.
He said the Directorate will act as a single point of interface with the government departments for resolution of specific issues relating to labour, students, cultural promotion, clearances etc. It will enlist Odia Associations and also prepare a list of Jagannath temples located in different parts of the world.
The Directorate will work towards promoting Odia consciousness, celebration of Utkal Diwas, organising World Odia Conferences etc. The directorate will develop a dedicated portal for the Pravasi Odias which will help in getting information about their issues.
The Directorate will perform the following activities:
- Act as a single point of interface with the government departments for the resolution of specific issues relating to labour, students, cultural promotion, clearances
- 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 the promotion of Odia language, culture and heritage, tourism and sports; handlooms and handicrafts;
- The directorate will develop a dedicated portal titled ‘Paribar – the portal for Pravasi Odias
There will be an advisory council to be headed by the Chief Minister. The members of the Council shall be nominated by the state government. The Minister for Odia Language, Literature and Culture shall be the permanent member of the council. The Secretary of the OLLC department shall be the Member Convener.
According to the proposal, there will be an executive committee under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary to provide strategic direction and review the activities of the Directorate of Pravasi Odia Affairs
The Cabinet also approved seven rural piped water projects, including six drinking water projects for Balangir.
While the Chief Minister, who is on a business tour to Japan since April 4, officiated the first-of-its-kind digital cabinet meeting from Kyoto, his cabinet colleagues joined in the special meeting remotely.
During the meeting, files were processed and documents signed via Odisha State Wide Area Network (OSWAN), entirely through digital mode. “The cabinet ministers discussed the decisions threadbare before giving nod digitally, leveraging this unique platform,” an official release said.
