Centre Notifies Orissa To Be Called As Odisha

Orissa will hereafter be called 'Odisha' and Oriya becomes ‘Odia’ with the publication of a gazette notification by the Central Government in this regard. 

The gazette notification follows the adoption of the Orissa (the Alteration of Name) Bill and the Constitution (113th) Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha on September 6 last with some minor modification. The bills were earlier approved by the Rajya Sabha. 

The Orissa (the Alteration of Name) Bill was initially passed by Lok Sabha on 9 November last year and sent to Rajya Sabha for concurrence. 

The historic decision is being celebrated all over Odisha on 5^th nov by people with bursting fire-crackers. 
The Odisha state government has declared a public holiday on Saturday 5^th November 2011 to mark the occasion. 

All government and semi-government offices, schools, banks and other establishments are closed and everyone is seen busy in celebrating the day. 

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has expressed deep gratitude to President Prativa Devi Singh Patil for giving her assent to the Bills for the state.