BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday said the lighthouses in the state will be integrated with other attractions to prop them prominently in the nation’s tourism map.
Addressing the valedictory function of the second edition of Indian Lighthouse Festival in Puri, organised by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, the chief minister thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for prioritising Odisha’s lighthouses.
Five lighthouses at Gopalpur, Puri, Chandrabhaga, Paradip, and False Point (Kendrapara) have been developed among 75 iconic lighthouses across nine coastal states and one union territory to promote lighthouse tourism.
On the occasion of India’s 75th Independence Day celebrations, the prime minister took the initiative for the development of 75 lighthouses across the country including five in Odisha. “I hope the central government’s innovative initiative will make Odisha’s lighthouses prominent on India’s tourism map. This is indeed a visionary move,” Majhi said.
Union minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal announced that two new lighthouses will be set up on Odisha’s coastline. The lighthouses will come up at Chaumukh in Balasore district and Dhamra in Bhadrak district.