18-05-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Historic Deogarh government press to continue ops: Odisha Commerce and Transport department
DEOGARH: State Commerce and Transport department has said that the historic Deogarh Government Printing Press, which was feared to be on the verge of closure, will continue its operations.
In a letter to Deogarh MLA Romancha Ranjan Biswal, the department clarified that no decision had been taken to close the printing press, which holds significant historical importance and is considered a witness to the Odia Language Movement. The department noted that the Deogarh branch of the press currently has two staff members who are primarily engaged in producing file boards and envelopes. The department also acknowledged the need for potential improvements and stated that steps would be taken as required in the future.
The department further stated in the letter that administrative approval of Rs 4.93 crore has been granted by the Tourism department to convert the old Deogarh collectorate building into a museum.
Biswal had earlier submitted a memorandum in February, requesting that the printing press should remain functional while also advocating for the addition of more staff and modern machinery to enhance the capacity of the press.
Established in 1886 by Bamanda king Basudev Sudhaldeb, the Jagannath Ballabh Printing Press played a pivotal role in promoting Odia language. Originally set up to support the Odia Language Movement and disseminate information through printed publications, the press printed several historic books, including the 'Sambalpur Hiteishini' newspaper and works by iconic litterateurs like Nilamani Bidyaratna, Radhanath Ray and Gangadhar Meher. After the state took over the press, it continued to print materials for various government offices in western Odisha.
