Bhubaneswar: The Naveen Patnaik government on Wednesday made it mandatory for shops and commercial establishments to display signboards in Odia failing which they will be penalised. The fine will vary from Rs 1,000 to Rs 25,000, which is a steep hike from the earlier Rs 15 to Rs 25.

It was one of the 17 major decisions that the state cabinet meeting, chaired by chief minister Naveen Patnaik, took on Wednesday. The cabinet has also decided to create Biju Juva Bahini, a voluntary force, in all the panchayats of the state.

Briefing media about the cabinet meeting, chief secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi said: "The objective is to enforce the provision to display signboards in Odia language prominently by owners of all shops and commercial establishments in the state for the benefit of general public."

To implement the decision, the state cabinet has also decided to invoke penal provisions of the existing Odisha Shops and Commercial Establishment Act.1956, he said.

While first-time offenders will have to pay a fine ranging between Rs 1,000 and Rs 5,000 repeat offenders will pay between Rs 2,000 and Rs 25,000. A separate web portal will be created for monitoring the implementation of the decision.

The state cabinet also decided to implement the Odisha Official Language Act, 1954, in a stringent manner. According to the act, all the employees and officers must use Odia language in all their official notes.

However, it has been found that this is not happening in reality as there is no provision for imposing penalty against officers and employees who are violating the act.

"Government has decided to amend the provision to impose penalties on officers and employees who don't obey the directions to write notes in Odia. At the same time, employees who extensively use Odia language in official notes will be given incentives."

The decision to form the Biju Yuva Bahini in all the 6,800 panchayats and 113 urban local bodies is an attempt to bring youths in the fold of the BJD. Each Yuva Bahini will have at least 25 members and they will be aged between 15-35.

The force will be encouraged to take part in various social actions in the panchayats, urban local bodies through events such as awareness campaigns, street plays, and holding camps. They will also be encouraged to take part in sporting activities.

To encourage women, transgenders and people belonging to SC/ST categories and those with physical disabilities, the cabinet has decided to give incremental allowance of Rs 22,000 to help them set up start-ups.

"We aim to emerge amongst the top three start-up hubs in India by 2020," the chief secretary said.

It also approved a provision for recognised start-ups to avail subsidy benefit to the extent of 50 per cent of monthly rental of incubation space (subject to a maximum of Rs 5,000) for a period of maximum one year.

Some of the other decisions taken at the meet are:

• A bridge over Mahanadi will connect Kantilo, Khurda, Banki, Nayagarh with Badamba, Narasinghpur, Hindol, Angul and west Odisha

• Diagnostic services Nidaan and free dialysis services" to be provided free of cost

• Universal eye health programme to be implemented for five years from this year

• Diploma courses in optometry and ophthalmic nursing to be started at all seven government medical colleges and Capital Hospital

• New scheme to strengthen ancillary services in public health sector approved

• Daily sitting allowances of the Speaker, Deputy Speaker and council of ministers enhanced from Rs 150 to Rs 800

• Stamp duty remitted from small depositors for receiving the amount from the government