Bhubaneswar: State Labour Minister Susanta Singh Tuesday launched a web portal ‘Odia Phalaka’ to implement the government’s direction to use Odia signage at shops and commercial establishments in the state.
Anyone can file a complaint through this portal against the shop owner or commercial establishment who are violating the government order. After filing of the complaint, the officials will penalise the shop under the Odisha Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Bill, 2018, minister said.
Last year, the state Assembly had passed a Bill making Odia language mandatory on signboards of all shops and commercial establishments. The Odisha Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Bill, 2018 and its rule provides for all shops and establishments to comply with the rule within a month or pay fines ranging between Rs 1,000 and Rs 5,000 for first violation and between Rs 2,000 and Rs 25,000 for the second violation.
The Assembly also passed Odisha Official Language (Amendment) Bill, 2018, which makes penal provisions for the government officials for not using Odia language in official work.