Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi Sunday announced infrastructure projects worth more than Rs 3,700 crore for his home district Keonjhar.
Majhi made the announcement after laying the foundation stone for a peripheral development project for the Maa Tarini temple complex at Ghatagaon.
Listing out the projects, Majhi said a four-lane ring road will be built in Barbil at a cost of Rs 2,300 crore, while Rs 428 crore will be spent to construct a bypass road in Keonjhar town.
Similarly, a four-lane road will be built in the district headquarters hospital. Along with this, a tech park at an investment of Rs 168 crore, a data centre (Rs 150 crore), and a textile park at Balabhadrapur (Rs 150 crore) will also be developed in the district, he said.
Additionally, a data recovery centre will be set up at Dharanidhar University campus at Rs 187 crore.
He said Rs 103 crore will be used for the redevelopment of the Raisuan airstrip, Rs 180 crore for the development of the Keonjhar stadium, and Rs 50 crore for the establishment of a regional plant resource centre (RPRC) at Sanaghagara, he said.
Majhi said funds of around Rs 35,000 crore, including the District Mineral Foundation (DMF), Odisha Mineral Bearing Areas Development Corporation (OMBADC), and other central and state government allocations, are available for the overall development of Keonjhar.
Describing Keonjhar as a treasure trove of natural resources, Majhi said the process for setting up a mega steel plant in the district is underway.
Like Rourkela and Jajpur, Keonjhar will contribute to further strengthening the state economy as a steel city, he added.
Speaking on the Maa Tarini temple project, Majhi said the Rs 313-crore initiative will transform the religious hub with modern amenities while retaining its cultural essence. “The project will be completed within one year,” he said.
Officials said the project will cover about 60 acres and include construction of a 216-bed pilgrim residence, a pilgrim centre, a food plaza, a watchtower, a market complex, a coconut warehouse, a dining hall for 500 people, and restrooms for drivers.
