PURI: The announcement of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to provide an additional special package of Rs 500 crore for development of Puri on Friday evoked joy in the pilgrim town with people from various quarters hailing the move.
Earlier, the Chief Minister had announced various projects worth Rs 265 crore for Puri, which was ravaged by cyclone Fani on May 3 this year, under the Augmentation of Basic Amenities and Development of Heritage and Architecture (ABADHA) scheme.
Local BJP MLA Jayant Kumar Sarangi welcomed the announcement and said he supports development of Puri. Former revenue minister Maheswar Mohanty also hailed the announcement and said the Chief Minister has a special plan to develop Puri as an international heritage place.
Secretary of Hotel Association of Puri Rajkishore Patra, former secretary of Puri Bar Association Ashok Das, office-bearers of Rotary and Lions clubs, Chamber of Commerce and servitors of Sri Jagannath Temple and president of Puri Sambadik Sangh Jagannath Bastia also welcomed the move.
District Collector Balwant Singh held a meeting with officials and it is learnt that the demarcation of 75-metre radial distance from Meghanad Prachir (temple boundary wall) would begin from Saturday along with identification of families likely to be displaced.