CUTTACK: The historic Baliyatra festival kicked off in the Millennium City on Monday. Industry, School and Mass Education Minister Debi Prasad Mishra inaugurated the largest annual trade fair of the State. Releasing the book ‘Baliyatra Cuttack Utsav-2016’, Mishra said the festival is closely associated with Odishan maritime trade and related to the past ties of Odisha with Bali Island.
The Minister further announced that Baliyatra festival, which is usually held for a week, has been extended for one more day. This year, 1408 stalls have been set up at both Killa Maidan and Tala Padia on the river bed of Mahanadi. Like previous years, a dedicated pavilion of Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS), which houses 350 different stalls, has been set up. The district administration has allotted 958 stalls including 100 special ones.
The administration aims to collect revenue to the tune of `90 lakh this year from the trade fair. Different kinds of joy rides and swings have been set up at the Baliyatra ground for children. Several stalls selling Odia delicacies have also come up. Besides, the festival will play host to a plethora of cultural programmes at Ganakabi Baishnab Pani Manch every evening which will be staged by different cultural troupes from within and outside the State. On the inaugural day, cultural acts were staged by Kalabati Kala Niketan, Sur Mandir Dance Academy, Cuttack, Srimoy Nrutya Anustan, Bhubaneswar and Kuanlo Sankrutika Parisad, Athagarh. Over one lakh people visited the Baliyatra ground on the first day.
On the other hand, demonetisation of `500 and `1000 notes is expected to affect the business of traders at festival this year. The traders are a worried lot as most of them are in possession of the demonetised `500 and `1000 notes. Usually, a coin vending machine and ATM counters are set up at the Baliyatra ground. However, the district administration is yet to make any confirmation on setting up currency exchange counters for traders and visitors this time. With more than 15 lakh visitors expected to throng the festival, the Commissionerate Police has made elaborate arrangement to maintain law and order at Baliyatra ground