Bhubaneswar5/2/24:: Describing language as the identity of a community, Odisha Governor Raghubar Das on Monday hailed the state government for its efforts to promote Odia.

Addressing the state Assembly on the opening day of the budget session, the Governor congratulated the government for organising the first ever World Odia Language Conference in Bhubaneswar.

He also congratulated the state government on the inauguration of the newly-built campus of Odia University at Satyabadi in Puri district and said it will play a significant role in further enriching the language.

Stating that ten towns and cities in Odisha have already been made slum-free, the Governor said all urban areas in the state will become slum-free by December 2024.

Highlighting achievements made in the farm sector, Das said foodgrain production in the state has touched 141.36 lakh metric tonne (MT) during 2022-23, which is almost two-and-a-half times the production of 55.35 MT during 2000-01.