Odisha To Implement ‘Ek Bharat Srestha Bharat Abhiyan’

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has decided to launch ‘Ek Bharat Srestha Bharat Abhiyan’ in the state along the lines suggested by union government.

It was decided in a high level meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi at the secretariat conference hall here on Friday.

It was decided that as a part of East-West engagement matrix in this initiative, Odisha would take up inter-cultural and inter-excellence exchange with Maharashtra owing to a lot commonality between Marathi  and Odia art and literature.

Year-long activities to this effect would be carried out. The department of Tourism would be nodal department for the Abhiyan, said a release.

The Abhiyan aimed at promoting a deep structured engagement between the two states through  planned activities. It would have scope for showcasing the rich cultural and tourism treasure of each other and renew the traditional unity, the release added.

There would also be inter-exchange of educational opportunities and agricultural practices between the states. Each state would benefit from the best practices and experience of the other, it said.

The activities suggested for this year-long interaction includes ekta carnival, sanskruti mahostav, translation of five award winning books from Odia to Marathi and vice-versa, translation of 10 proverbs to each others’ language, cultural exchange programme, culinary classes of the Odia and Marathi dishes and tour by university students of each state.

Besides, combined film festivals, literary and quiz competitions, inter exchange of NCC and NSS camps would be held.