CM Majhi Launches Twin Projects to Boost Industrial, Digital Growth in Keonjhar

Keonjhar: Keonjhar is set to witness a major transformation in its industrial and digital landscape with Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday laying the foundation stone for a Rs 100-crore textile park and a Rs 187-crore Disaster Recovery and Data Centre at the Dharanidhar University campus.

Addressing a large gathering, the Chief Minister said the twin projects would help redefine Keonjhar’s identity beyond mining and steel. “Our goal is to turn Keonjhar into a centre of multi-sector industrial growth. We envision a golden future for the district driven by manufacturing, innovation, and digital empowerment,” he said.

The proposed textile park is expected to generate employment for nearly 1,200 youth. As part of the project, Hindalco will set up a state-of-the-art garment manufacturing unit on seven acres, capable of producing 24 lakh garments annually. The facility, supported by modern infrastructure and logistics, is expected to provide a strong push to Odisha’s textile value chain.

Underlining the sector’s social and economic impact, CM Majhi said textiles offer immense opportunities for women and young workers. He cited the success of the O-Tex Textile Conclave held in Bhubaneswar last July, which resulted in 33 MoUs worth Rs 7,800 crore and employment potential for over 53,000 people. He added that similar textile and apparel parks are coming up in Sambalpur, Balangir, Ganjam, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Bhadrak, and Keonjhar to ensure balanced industrial growth.

On the digital infrastructure front, the Chief Minister also laid the foundation for a Disaster Recovery and Data Centre to be developed by the Electronics & IT Department through the Odisha Computer Application Centre (OCAC). The centre will function as a critical backup to the State Data Centre in Bhubaneswar, safeguarding digital services against natural disasters and cyber threats.

Terming data as a strategic public resource, CM Majhi said Keonjhar’s location in low-risk seismic Zone II made it ideal for hosting such a facility. “Citizens’ data must remain secure, accessible, and under the state’s control at all times,” he said.

Highlighting the government’s broader development agenda, the Chief Minister pointed to an allocation of Rs 312 crore for temple development and projects worth Rs 1,900 crore launched during Makar Sankranti. “District-led growth, powered by industry and technology, will pave the way for a developed Odisha and a developed India,” he added.