KEONJHAR: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi attended the state-level celebration of the 161st birth anniversary of great revolutionary Dharanidhar Naik at his birthplace Kusumita village in Keonjhar district on Monday.
Participating in the event as the chief guest, Majhi laid the foundation stone for a memorial museum and an interpretation centre at Kusumita to be built at a cost of Rs 50 crore. He also inaugurated and laid foundation stones for 340 projects worth Rs 1,155 crore in the district.
The chief minister said Dharanidhar was a symbol of both spirituality and revolution. The great revolutionary was a staunch fighter who led the anti-British movement in Odisha. His strong resolve, patriotism and sacrifice are a source of inspiration for the youths.
“The state government has taken various steps to immortalise Dharanidhar’s memory. Emphasising the tradition of worship, our government is celebrating birth anniversaries of great personalities at their birthplaces across Odisha,” he said.
Majhi said a guesthouse will be constructed in Bhubaneswar in the memory of Dharanidhar. The memorial site will preserve Dharanidhar’s ancestral house and his belongings. A museum will be set up on two acre of land near Dharanidhar’s house along with an interpretation centre. To develop it as a tourist attraction, parks and other facilities will be created.
The chief minister informed that JSW will set up a mega steel plant in Keonjhar soon. An investment of Rs 35,000 crore will be made for the steel plant in the first phase. The steel plant will come up with a total investment of Rs 1,29,800 crore, creating employment opportunities for 30,000 to 35,000 youths.
Along with industrial establishments, priority will be given to education, health, transportation and irrigation projects, which will also help Keonjhar district move forward economically, he added.
Odia Language, Literature and Culture Minister Suryabanshi Suraj said Dharanidhar was a symbol of self-respect and called upon people to be inspired by his life. Keonjhar MP Anant Nayak and MLAs of Champua, Telkoi and Patna also spoke.
On the occasion, the chief minister felicitated Kangali Charan Naik of Keonjhar with the Dharanidhar award. Among others, Dharanidhar’s descendant Kalakar Naik, secretary of Bhuyan Cultural Organisation Shyam Sundar Naik and Keonjhar collector Vishal Singh were present.