₹30,000 monthly honorarium for Padma awardees in Odisha effective January

Bhubaneswar, Jan 16: The Odisha government has announced an enhanced monthly honorarium of ₹30,000 for Padma Award recipients from the state, effective January 2025. The Odia Language, Literature, and Culture Department issued a notification formalizing the decision on Thursday.

Approximately 55 living Padma Awardees from Odisha will benefit from the enhanced honorarium, recognizing their invaluable contributions to society. The initiative is expected to cost the state exchequer around ₹2 crore annually.

This enhancement builds on a previous commitment made in March last year, when the government had promised a monthly honorarium of ₹25,000 for Padma Awardees. The increase reflects Odisha’s ongoing efforts to honor its distinguished citizens and support their continued contributions to cultural, social, and public life.

District Collectors and Cultural Officers have been instructed to submit relevant details of the living Padma Awardees, including certificates, bank account information, and IFSC codes, to the Directorate of Odia Language, Literature, and Culture. This will facilitate the disbursement of the honorarium through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system.

The move underscores the state’s commitment to celebrating the achievements of its prominent citizens while ensuring their financial well-being and dignity.