Odia Made Mandatory on Commercial Signboards Across Urban Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has made it mandatory for all commercial establishments in towns and cities to display signboards prominently featuring Odia script.

The Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) Department has issued a directive requiring shops, offices and commercial premises across all urban local bodies, including municipal corporations, municipalities and notified area councils, to ensure that Odia covers at least 60% of their signage area.

Principal Secretary Usha Padhee has directed that the new rule be implemented within 55 days. Establishments failing to comply will initially receive a formal notice, after which they will face a penalty of ₹500 per day beyond the deadline.

To encourage timely adoption, the department has announced a 5% concession on trade licence renewal fees for compliant businesses. This benefit can be availed through the SUJOG platform or the Bhubaneswar.me portal.

Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) have been tasked with verifying compliance during trade licence renewals and routine inspections, all of which must be concluded by 30 September 2025. They have also been asked to conduct awareness campaigns to assist shopkeepers in implementing the new rule effectively.

Further, all ULBs must submit detailed compliance reports to the Office of the Director, Municipal Administration within 60 days. For queries or assistance, stakeholders can reach out to the Directorate of Municipal Administration under the H&UD Department.