Odisha government has declared that while Biju Patnaik’s birth anniversary will be observed, it will no longer be designated as a government holiday
The BJP government in Odisha announced on Monday that ‘Panchayati Raj Divas’ will now be celebrated on April 24. March 5, previously known as Panchayati Raj Day for many years, will instead honor the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik. The government has also canceled the holiday that was observed on March 5.
According to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), while March 5 has been recognized as ‘Panchayati Raj Divas’ in Odisha, this year it will shift to April 24 to match the national celebration.
“The Odisha government will no longer mark March 5 as Panchayati Raj Divas, which is also Biju Babu’s birthday. Instead, the new date for Panchayati Raj Divas is April 24, as approved by the Chief Minister. March 5 will now be celebrated as the birth anniversary of the esteemed leader Biju Patnaik. Additionally, the holiday on that day has been canceled,” the CMO stated.
Odisha has celebrated ‘Panchayati Raj Day’ on March 5 since the 1990s, aligning it with Biju Patnaik’s birthday. However, the national ‘PR Day’ is on April 24, when awards are given to Panchayat representatives from different states, including the Rashtriya Gaurav Gram Sabha Award.
To address the difference in dates for Panchayati Raj Day, the state government has decided to stop celebrating it on March 5 and will now observe it on April 24, according to the Chief Minister’s Office. Additionally, the state will recognize Public Service Day on April 24. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has approved the change to mark March 5 only as Biju Patnaik’s birth anniversary.
This decision followed a request from the opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) for clarification on the celebration of Panchayati Raj Divas on March 5. The BJD expressed disappointment over the government’s lack of attention to this date.
The Panchayati Raj Divas has been observed on Biju Babu’s birthday since the early 1990s, regardless of which party is in power in Odisha. All past governments, including Congress, have marked it on March 5 as Panchayati Raj Divas. However, it is very disappointing that the BJP government has removed Biju Patnaik’s name from this celebration, said BJD leader Debi Prasad Mishra.
“It is sad that the state government has disconnected Biju Patnaik from the Panchayati Raj system. Biju Patnaik was instrumental in promoting the Panchayati Raj movement in the country and ensured 30 percent reservation for women in the three-tier Panchayati Raj system,” he continued. The state will honor Biju Patnaik’s 109th birth anniversary on March 5.
