TNI Bureau: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi laid the foundation stone for a textile park and a disaster recovery and data centre at the campus of Dharanidhar University in Keonjhar district, marking a major step towards industrial diversification and digital infrastructure development in the region.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister reiterated the state government’s commitment to transforming Keonjhar into a diversified industrial hub. He said the district will no longer be known only for mining and steel, but will also emerge as a centre for multiple industries. He added that the government’s vision is to build a prosperous and developed Keonjhar through balanced industrial growth.
The textile park, being developed with modern infrastructure and logistics support, is expected to generate employment opportunities for around 1,200 youth. Hindalco will establish a garment manufacturing unit over seven acres of land within the park, with an annual production capacity of 24 lakh garments. The Chief Minister highlighted that the textile sector has significant potential to create large-scale employment, especially for youth and women.
He also noted that during the Odisha Tex textile conclave held in Bhubaneswar last year, 33 Memorandums of Understanding worth ₹7,800 crore were signed, creating employment potential for over 53,000 people across the state. Apart from Keonjhar, dedicated textile and apparel parks are being established in districts including Sambalpur, Balangir, Ganjam, Cuttack, and Jagatsinghpur, along with a technical textile park in Bhadrak. He said these initiatives will create employment opportunities within Odisha and reduce migration of workers to other states.
The Chief Minister also laid the foundation stone for a disaster recovery and data centre being developed by the Electronics and IT Department through OCAC. The facility will function as a backup to the State Data Centre in Bhubaneswar and ensure uninterrupted delivery of government services in case of natural disasters or cyber threats. He said the centre will play a crucial role in securing citizens’ data and strengthening the state’s digital governance framework. Keonjhar was selected for the project due to its low earthquake risk, making it suitable for critical digital infrastructure.
Reaffirming the government’s focus on balanced regional development, the Chief Minister said industrial growth and digital infrastructure are key drivers of progress and will contribute to building a developed Odisha and a developed India.
Keonjhar MP Ananta Nayak, MLA Akhil Nayak, District Collector Vishal Singh, OCAC CEO Pradeep Kumar Raut, Hindalco President Ardhendu Mahapatra, senior officials, and a large number of citizens were present on the occasion.
