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Time of India
4 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Govt announces discount on trade licence renewal for shops using Odia on signboards
Bhubaneswar: To promote use of Odia language in public spaces, the Odisha govt has announced a 5% discount on trade license renewal fees for shops and commercial establishments that use Odia script on their signboards. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The housing and urban development department issued a notification on Wednesday to ensure compliance with the Orissa Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1956, which mandates the use of Odia on signboards. Citing Rule 32 of the 1958 Rules framed under the Act, the govt reiterated that every business outlet must display its name prominently in Odia script. "To promote and protect the rich cultural and linguistic heritage of Odisha, the state govt shows its strong commitment and helps the public who do not understand any other language or script except Odia," read the notification. All municipal corporations, municipalities, and urban local bodies (ULBs) in the state will ensure that shops and commercial establishments in their areas are using Odia billboards. Official sources said despite repeated directives in the past, many establishments continue to flout the rule by using only English or other scripts. The latest circular warns that strict action will be taken against violators while offering a financial incentive to encourage compliance. "All shop owners and business operators are hereby directed to prominently use Odia in at least 60% of the signages. Non-compliance will attract penal action," the order stated. "To encourage more shops and business establishments to use Odia scripts, the govt has offered a 5% discount on the renewal of their trade licenses. The discount can be availed on the SUJOG and portals," it read. Urban local bodies have been instructed to strictly enforce the rule across their jurisdictions and submit a report about adherence within the next 60 days. The govt's decision has been welcomed by language activists, who have long demanded stricter implementation of the policy to safeguard the identity and dignity of Odia language.
Time of India
19-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Planning authorities asked to inform ORERA about housing project approvals
1 2 Bhubaneswar: The housing and urban development department has asked all the planning authorities, including Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, to mandatorily inform Odisha Real Estate Regulatory Authority (ORERA) about the plan approvals they give to different housing and plotting projects. This will enable ORERA to conduct necessary follow-ups on the developers' activities. The move came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while chairing a Pragati review meeting, asked the state govts to strengthen ORERA and ensure proper execution of its orders in the interest of homebuyers. According to sources, the ORERA chairperson recently wrote to the chief secretary, mentioning an eight-point agenda to strengthen ORERA and this includes the intimation of plan approval by the planning authority to ensure necessary follow-ups with the developers by ORERA. Following the recommendation, the chief secretary held a high-level meeting with the officials of the housing department recently to discuss the matter. After the deliberation, the state issued the direction to the department for intimation of the plan approval to the authority. During the meeting, it was also decided that the new website of ORERA should be linked to the SUJOG portal of the govt for real-time monitoring and updates of the plan approval status. The govt uses the SUJOG portal for providing online approval to different projects. "The authority has made some recommendations to strengthen the operation of ORERA. Out of the given recommendations, discussion on two important matters was taken up and the directions were passed on to the urban development department accordingly," a senior ORERA official said. ORERA recently revoked the registration certificate of a prominent housing project in the city after finding that the approach road to the project used by the developer actually belonged to the railways. Sources said that confusion occurred during the approval stage.
