The rally, held from Lower PMG to the Office of the Labour Commissioner, witnessed participation from over 200 individuals, who pledged to support and promote the use of the Odia language.

The programme was formally inaugurated by Labour Commissioner Indramani Tripathy. Addressing the gathering, he stated that from April 4 to April 7, departmental officers will conduct inspections of various shops and business establishments. Traders who have not displayed nameplates clearly in Odia will be advised to do so accurately. Emphasizing the importance of linguistic identity, he noted that language is a symbol of pride and identity, and its use must be ensured across all business establishments.

The event was attended by Additional Labour Commissioner Madan Mohan Paik, Joint Labour Commissioners Bighnajit Mohanty Mahapatra and Bharati Sitha, Divisional Labour Commissioner Banani Mahapatra, Khurda Divisional Labour Commissioner Ajay Pradhan, District Labour Officer Prabhakar Biswal, Deputy Secretary of the Labour and ESI Department Piyush Parida, and Odisha Parivar Nodal Officer Pritish Panda, among others.

It is noteworthy that under the Odisha Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, it is mandatory for all business establishments to display nameplates in the Odia language clearly and accurately. As per Section 35 of the Act, violations may attract financial penalties ranging from ₹5,000 to ₹10,000 for the first offence, and ₹10,000 to ₹20,000 for subsequent violations.

Through this awareness initiative, the department aims to educate traders about the legal provisions while encouraging them to uphold the dignity and prominence of the Odia language.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda