The Heritage Cabinet met under chairmanship of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here on Wednesday and approved seven proposals, including one to urge the Union Government for accordance of classical status to Odishi music.
“Odishi dance and Odia language have already got classical status. Odishi music is very ancient and has a sastric basis. A resolution was passed to request the Union Government to give Odishi music a classical status,” said Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy.
A proposal was approved to create separate directorates for the State Archeology and the Odisha State Museum (OSM) and create two Director posts for their smooth functioning.
A proposal was passed to make the State Museum and Ananda Bhavan Museum virtual entities with digitisation.
A proposal was also passed to increase award money of the Atibadi Jagannath Das Samman, Kabi Samrat Upendra Bhanja Samman, Dharmapada Samman and Byasakabi Fakir Mohan Samman from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. Similarly, the amounts for awards of the various Academies would be increased from Rs 50, 000 to Rs 2 lakh and the amount of felicitations of the various Academics would be increased to Rs 1 lakh.
The Cabinet also approved a proposal to fill up all the existing vacancies in the various academies, institutions and various centres of the Odia Language, Literature and Culture department. If needed, the posts would also be filled through nomination process.
Besides, a proposal was okayed to develop Utkalmani Pandit Gopabandhu Das’ birthplace Suando at a cost of Rs 11 crore.