Orissa is “Odisha,” Oriya is “Odia” now

By Nalini Sahu / www.indusvalleytimes.com

Bhubaneswar, Nov. 4: It’s official now. Finally, the name of Orissa has been altered to “Odisha” and the state’s language would henceforth will be called “Odia.”

The Government of India on Friday came out the gazette notification on the passing of the Orissa (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2010, and the Constitution (113th Amendment) Bill by the Parliament.

Expressing his happiness over the development, chief minister Naveen Patnaik declared that Saturay will be observed as holiday across the state. All government offices, schools and colleges and banks will remain closed, he ordered.

The chief minister thanked President Pratibha Devisingh Patil and members of the Parliament for supporting the name alteration bill.

The gazette notification implies completion of the name alteration process that was kick-started with the passing of a unanimous resolution by the Orissa Legislative Assembly in November, 2009.

On March 24, 2011 the Rajya Sabha had passed the bill to change the name of Orissa to “Odisha” and an amendment in the constitution to rename “Oriya” language as 'Odia'.

Both bills were passed by the Lok Sabha in November 2010.

The gazette notification mentioned that the change of names came into effect from November 1, 2011.

With the passing of the two bills in the Parliament, the name of the state specified as Orissa in the First Schedule of the Constitution would now be changed as Odisha.

The Orissa (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2010, and the Constitution (113th Amendment) Bill, 2010, for the change of the name of the language were moved by Union home minister P. Chidambaram early this year on the basis of resolutions passed by the Orissa Legislative Assembly.

Cultural organizations and employees of the state secretariat celebrated the gazette notification news by bursting crackers.

Anna to decide Orissa visit after Parliament winter session

By Our Correspondent / www.indusvalleytimes.com

Relegaon Siddhi (Maharashtra), Nov2: The anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare will decide his much-awaited Orisa along with five other poll-bound states after the winter session of the Parliament, sources close to Anna Hazare team said.

In yet another development, India Against Corruption (IAC) will formulate a constitution which will guide the functioning of the IAC.

After having a long interaction with the core committee members Prashant Bhushan, Kiran Bedi and Arvind Kejriwal today at Relegaon Siddhi, Anna Hazare issued a two-page statement to the press.

“A constitution will be drafted to guide the anti-Corruption movement. The constitution will address who will be the members of the core committee, working committee. Action will be taken against the erring committee members if the members of the committee commit any mistake.

The present committee will work till the constitution is drafted. The committee will be restructured after the formulation of the constitution,” he said.

Anna Hazare said that IAC does not have any negative feeling against Congress. The ruling party at the Centre should fulfill its duty and it should bring Lok Pal Bill in the winter session of Parliament.

“Otherwise, I shall tour all the five poll bound states,” he said.

A close associate of Anna Hazare told news portal www.bizodisha.com that he will consider the several requests to tour Orissa also as the state is also having several scams like NREGES scam, Mining Scam, Dal Scam and others.

The state will also have Panchayat poll in early next year.

Anna Hazare said that the government should shun the campaign to malign the members of the IAC committee members. It will be counter Productive. The people of the country will give a befitting reply to them.