Bhubaneswar: The 31st Odisha State Film Awards and 8th State Tele Awards will be held in March, it was officially announced on Wednesday. The Odia language, literature and culture department has fixed the last date for submitting entries for the award ceremony as February 20.
The programme was not held last year due to coronavirus pandemic. The awards will be presented to 27 departments of motion pictures and twenty departments of Telefilms.
Odisha Film Development Corporation has been entrusted with the responsibility of organizing the function. Odisha Sangeet Natak Academy will select the jury and finalise the items to be awarded.
The meeting decided to adhere to coronavirus guidelines while inviting prominent guests to grace the occasion. It was also decided that the cultural programme in which noted artistes will participate will also maintain coronavirus guidelines.
The meeting also decided to raise the prize money this year. Efforts will be done to attract more visitors and tourists to the function.
The meeting was attended by Minister of Culture Jyotiprakash Panigrahi, Industry Minister Captain Dibyashankar Mishra, OFDC Chairman Kuna Tripathy, Principal Secretary, Culture, Bishnupada Sethi, Tourism Director Sachin Ramachandra Yadav, OFDC Secretary Nitin Bhanudas Jawale and joint secretary Tourism Durgaprasad Mohapatra.
