Bhubaneswar, Odisha : The Odisha government has initiated a high-level review meeting on the protection, conservation, and development of the state’s heritage monuments. The meeting highlighted the upcoming new heritage policy, with a focus on preserving over 3,000 heritage structures, including temples, Buddhist monuments, and other historic sites dating from the Kharavela period to the Paika Rebellion.

Under the first phase, 75 heritage sites have been identified for comprehensive development, while a special task force will oversee the conservation of more than 3,000 monuments across the state. Independent priority will be given to the development of Jagannath culture and Buddhist Kirtiraj heritage, and all ancient temples will be geotagged for easy documentation and promotion.

The meeting, held at Lokseva Bhawan, was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Prabhati Parida, Law, Works & Revenue Minister Pruthwiraj Harichandan, and Ministers for Odia Language, Literature & Culture, Sports & Youth Services, and Higher Education Surya Banshi Suraj, along with senior officials from the relevant departments.

Deputy CM Parida emphasized that Odisha’s heritage is among the oldest in India, with many sites lying unnoticed in local regions. She stressed the importance of cataloguing these sites and promoting them as tourism destinations. Minister Harichandan highlighted that Odisha’s Jagannath culture is a key part of its identity, and proper infrastructure and road connectivity around monuments are essential for attracting global tourists.

Minister Suraj underlined the need for the protection of heritage sites, noting that several Kirtiraj artifacts have been sold abroad for crores of rupees, and safeguarding them is a shared responsibility. The government will also create a heritage corridor linking temples from Tara Tarini to Biraja, integrating regional heritage sites for tourism development.

The meeting concluded with officials from Tourism, Culture, Law & Works departments, ASI representatives, and other key authorities coordinating on preparing profiles for all heritage sites to ensure their protection, development, and global visibility.

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