Odisha Culture & Tourism Department shows High Performance in 2014-15
Bhubaneswar, 30th July: The performance of Culture & Tourism department for the year 2014-15 has gone above 95%. This assessment has been made in the High level meeting on RFD (Result Framework Document) held under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary Sri Gokul Chandra Pati in secretariat conference hall yesterday in which Secretary Tourism & Culture Dr Arabinda Padhee presented the performance of the department in the light of RFD.
The Joint Director, Planning & Coordination Department Sri J.K. Mishra presented the score card of the culture & tourism department on various fronts as assessed by Planning & Coordination Department.
Reviewing the performance of the department, Chief Secretary Sri Pati has directed to strengthen Odia Bhasa Pratisthan for enabling them to support implementation of Odia in all Govt transaction and correspondences. The department has also been asked to prepare definite action plan for linking Odisha with Budhist Circuit. Chief Secretary has advised to prepare an estimate for having a special coach between Bhubaneswar and Bodhgaya.
Further, the Chief Secretary has advised the department to refurnish the art gallery of the State museum and link up the institutions imparting training in tourism and hospitality with hunerse rojgar yojna. Looking to success of the department in popularizing the Nabakalebara Festival-2015 and attracting more tourists to this grand event, Chief Secretary Sri Pati has directed the department to prepare a regular media plan for Car Festival of subsequent years and take up the festival as a major occasion for promotion of Odisha tourism.
Replying to a media query after the meeting, Secretary Dr. Padhee said because of systematic interventions and promotional activities, the tourist foot fall in 2014-15 has increased by 12% over the last year. This year around 1.08 cr tourists have come to Odisha which was around 98 lakhs during 2013-14.
Dr. Padhee added that Budha art gallery has been set up at Budhist Park, Bhubaneswar, Tourism Police has been made operational and specialized documents of Nabakalebara has already been published by the department. Dr Padhee also said that trial run of Light & Sound Show at Dhauli has successfully been done and all other preparations have been completed.
Available data shows that the culture department has recorded 130% achievement in development and spread of Odia language, literature, art & sculpture. Besides, it has recorded 100% achievement in many of the performance indicators like targeted infrastructure development, promotion of art & culture at grass root level, conservation & preservation of archival records and spread of awareness on library movement in the State.
Similarly, tourism department has achieved 90% success in increasing the tourist footfall and 100% in community participation for development of tourism & creation of employment. The achievements of the department in other performance indicators like ensuring cleanliness in tourist centers, upgradation of OTDC complexes, effective media plan and improving public service delivery have also been remarkable.
The Development Commissioner Sri U.N. Behera outlined the performance indicators for inclusion in RFD of Culture & Tourism Department for the year 2015-16; and, suggested to measures to boost up the performances.