In order to create a one-stop point of contact and support for Odias who live in other parts of the country, the Odisha Government has decided to set up a ‘Directorate of Odisha Parivar’.
The decision was taken at a State Cabinet meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in virtual mode from Japan.
The Directorate of Odisha Parivar will be under the Department of Odia Language, Literature and Culture to have better connect with Pravasi Odias within the country and across the world. The directorate 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 enlist Odia associations in different parts of India and foreign countries. This will 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 promotion of Odia language, culture and heritage, tourism and sports, handlooms and handicrafts.
The directorate will enlist organisations involved in furthering the cause of cultural heritage of Odisha. It will enlist the Jagannath temples located in different parts of India and other parts of the world.
It will promote the cultural heritage of Odisha, celebration of Odisha Divas, organising world Odia conferences at regular intervals in association with Odia scholars, creative writers living in different parts of the world. It will bring out selected Odia works in other languages of India and important languages of the world.
The directorate will work to promote Odia economic and skill networking to harness investment opportunities in Odisha and job opportunities for Odia people.
It will reach out to the NROs in distress and provide then possible support.
The directorate will develop a dedicate portal titled “Paribar-the portal for Pravasi Odias-Connecting the roots”.
An Advisory Council will be headed by the Chief Minister and an Executive Committee will be headed by the Chief Secretary with members from various departments of the State Government.