The Odisha government on Friday launched a new web portal to promote Odia language and literature.

The Odia Virtual Academy has taken the responsibility for promotion, preservation and digitisation of the Odia language and literature, Patnaik said adding that the portal will be helpful for the promotion of Odia language at the international level, especially for the non resident Odias.

Patnaik said that three memorandums have been signed with University of Chicago Library, C-DAC and Centre for Internet and Society, Bengaluru, respectively to expedite digitisation of Odia literature and development of software.

This will certainly go a long way in enhancing the visibility of Odia language and literature in the digital space, Patnaik said.

Around 170 books of Odia literature have been placed on the academy website.

This apart, in a bid to check the pollution of water bodies and drainage problems in the state, Patnaik also inaugurated six Septage Treatment Plants (STPs) ealier on Friday.

Patnaik inaugurated the facilities in six cities -- Bhubaneswar, Berhampur, Rourkela, Sambalpur, Dhenkanal and Puri -- through video conference at a National Workshop on Faecal Sludge and Septage Management.

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