Bhubaneswar, Sep 2: The state government today decided to create a new directorate for the proper management of the Odisha State Archaeology to be headed by a Director. A proposal to this effect was cleared by the Heritage Cabinet.

Similarly, it was decided to create a separate and autonomous directorate for the Odisha State Museum (OSM) as the existing Culture directorate is over burdened with the management of OSM and  fifteen important sub-departments along with district museums functioning under it.

The OSM will be developed into a virtual entity with digitisation. A similar model will be followed for Ananda Bhavan Museum which memorialises Biju Patnaik. Proposal was passed for undertaking this work for the museums, the meeting decided.

 A proposal was also passed to increase the financial amount being given by Department of Odia Language, Literature and Culture to the selected artists in various cultural fields. The amounts for the Atibadi Jagannath Das Samman, Kabi Samrat Upendra Bhanja Samman, Dharmapada Samman and Byasakabi Phakir Mohan Samman, would be increased from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.

 Besides, the amounts for awards of the various Academies shall be increased from Rs 50, 000  to Rs 2 lakh and the amount of felicitations of the various Academies shall be increased to Rs 1 lakh.

A proposal was moved and approved to fill up all the existing vacancies in the various academies, institutions and various centres of the Department of Odia Language, Literature and Culture through a transparent process of widely publicised advertisements. If needed, the posts will also be filled through nomination process.

The Heritage Cabinet today approved to undertake a project for holistic development of Suando, the birth place of Pandit Gopabandhu Das involving a budget of approximately Rs 11 crore.