Puri to become Municipal Corporation, announces Odisha CM

TNI Bureau: Puri will now become a Municipal Corporation, announced Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday while briefing the newsmen about the State government’s detailed plan for the overall development of the Holy City.

“Puri Jagannath Dham is unique among all the religious places in India. Here, devotees, irrespective of caste, religion, colour, community, become one. During this holy Yatra that lasts for nine days, all the devotees walking in the big way are one and the same. I am also an ordinary devotee among these innumerable Jagannath devotees,” said Majhi.

“As the chief servant of the state, the people of the state have entrusted me with the responsibility of providing quality basic facilities to the people of Puri along with the lakhs of devotees who come to Puri. I have personally felt that for some reason or the other, the current Puri municipality has not been able to fulfill the expectations and aspirations of both the devotees and the city residents,” the CM said adding that to achieve this goal, reforms will have to be brought in the local self-government system. There is a need for a new model to supervise, restructure and maintain various developmental works.

“In order to provide quality facilities to the devotees and tourists who come to the city throughout the year with the increasing population, our government has decided to convert Puri Municipality into a Municipal Corporation. Puri Mahanagara Nigam will be formed by incorporating Puri city and the surrounding village panchayats. This will include about seven to eight village panchayats of Puri Sadar and Brahmagiri block, so that the residents of these panchayats can get city-like facilities. All the processes related to this will be started from tomorrow,” Majhi announced.

He further said that our government is committed to making Puri the best religious and tourist destination in the country. For this, there is a need to build and maintain many new projects. The government has set a target to make Puri a major religious and tourist destination in the country by 2036. The idea of a prosperous Odisha is impossible without a beautiful, green, developed Puri city.