Odisha: Hefty Fine For Violators Of Mandatory Odia Signboard Rule

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has warned shops and business establishments, flouting the mandatory Odia signboard rule, of heavy penalties.

In May 2018, the Odisha Shops and Commercial Establishment Act, 1956, was amended, making Odia language mandatory on signboards of all shops and commercial establishments in the state. Reports, however, revealed 47,000 of the 52,000 registered shops and commercial establishments have put up signboards and display boards in Odia while the rest are yet to do so.

During a meeting chaired by Odia Language Literature and Culture department Additional Chief Secretary Satyabrata Sahu and attended by Labour and Employee’s State Insurance Department Commissioner-cum-Secretary Santhanagopalan R and District Labour Officers on Thursday, it was decided that the violation will be treated as a serious offence with hefty fines.

While Rs 5,000 will be imposed on the first time violators, the penalty amount can go up to Rs 25,000 in the event of second offence. There is also provision for cancellation of licenses, official sources said.

This month, the shops and business establishments, which are yet to put up Odia signboards, will be served notices to implement the change within seven days. A drive in this regard will also be carried out by the local labour officials and municipal authorities, the sources added.