It’s Mandatory for Shops, Commercial Establishments in Odisha to Write Signboards in Odia

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government has made it mandatory for the shops and commercial establishments in the State to write signboards in Odia language.

The Labour & Employees’ State Insurance Department will closely monitor it and take strict action against the violators.

Seven days notice will be given to all the shops and commercial who violate the Order. Even then, if the Order is not complied with, strict action will be taken along with fine/cancellation of license. First-time offenders will be fined Rs 5,000 and second-time offenders will be fined Rs 25,000, as per a press release issued by Information and Public Relations Department on Thursday.

At the district level, under the chairmanship of the Additional District Magistrate, district labor officers, municipal executive officers and market shops and trade unions will hold a meeting every month to review the same and provide the details to the Labour Commissioner and Labour & Employees’ State Insurance Department.

Earlier, it was made mandatory for shops and commercial establishments to write their name boards in Odia. The Labour & Employees’ State Insurance Department has made necessary amendments to the

Odisha Shops and Commercial Establishment Act, 1956.

Out of a total of 52,000 registered shops and commercial establishments in the urban areas of the state, almost 47,000 establishments have the nameplate of Odia. Some open shops and commercial establishments have been prosecuted and fined.

Today, a meeting was held under the chairmanship of the Additional Chief Secretary, Language, Literature and Culture Department in presence of the Secretary, Labour & Employees’ State Insurance Department, Labour Commissioner and District Labour Officers. In this meeting, it was decided to strictly follow the revised rules.