The Orissa Cine Critics’ Association has demanded that the Government increase the award amount of the State’s highest cine award “Jayadev Puraskar’ from Rs 1 lakh to 5 lakh in lines with the decision to increase various academy awards.
“In 1981, the amount of Jayadev Puraskar was Rs 20,000 when Krushna Chandra Tripathy Sharma first received the award. Subsequent, the amount increased to Rs 25,000, then to 50,000 and finally to Rs 1 lakh in 2014. Now, the State Heritage Cabinet has decided to raise amounts of all literary awards. But it is disappointing that it didn’t decide to incrase the Jayadev Puraskar,” said association president Pradosh Patnaik and secretary Dillip Hali.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik should look into the matter soon, they demanded.