Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, approved five significant proposals on Wednesday, including the creation of a Rs 200 crore corpus fund for Odia Asmita Bhavan, the establishment of the Odia Translation Akademi, and a hike in minimum wages for various categories of workers.
During a press briefing, Chief Minister Majhi outlined the objectives of the corpus fund, aimed at reviving Odia Asmita and promoting the state’s rich culture, art, and heritage. The fund will support various initiatives, including the establishment of Odia Asmita Bhavan, a palm leaf manuscript museum, the Odia Translation Akademi, the development of the Paika Rebellion Memorial, an e-library, and the creation of Odia chairs at national and international universities.
Majhi also announced efforts to secure international status for the Bali Jatra festival and financial assistance for training in Odissi music and dance through the ‘Kalakar Gouraba Nidhi Yojana’. A committee comprising experts will be formed to oversee these initiatives, with the corpus fund expected to increase as needed in the future.
In another significant decision, the Cabinet directed the School and Mass Education department to expedite the recruitment of 18,700 junior teachers to address the educational needs of the state.
The Cabinet also approved the inclusion of an additional 5-6 lakh eligible farmers, including medium, large, and urban farmers, under the PM-Kisan scheme. These farmers were previously excluded due to criteria set by the KALIA Yojana of the previous BJD government.
Furthermore, the Cabinet allocated Rs 1,044 crore over the next five years to revive defunct lift irrigation projects and enhance the capabilities of operational irrigation projects in the state, ensuring better water management and agricultural productivity.
The Cabinet also approved a proposal to increase the minimum wages for various categories of workers. The new wage structure will raise the wage for unskilled workers from Rs 352 to Rs 450, for semi-skilled workers from Rs 392 to Rs 500, for skilled workers from Rs 442 to Rs 550, and for highly skilled workers from Rs 502 to Rs 600.