Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Monday took a major step towards strengthening training and institutional support for rural governance with the foundation stone laying ceremony of a new auditorium at the State Institute of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj (SIRD&PR) in Bhubaneswar.
The proposed auditorium, with a seating capacity of 450 people, will be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 32 crore and is expected to enhance training facilities for Panchayati Raj institutions and rural development programmes across the state.
The foundation stone was laid by Rural Development, Panchayati Raj & Drinking Water Minister Rabi Narayan Naik in the presence of senior officials of the department.
Speaking on the occasion, the minister said the auditorium would emerge as an important centre for capacity building, policy discussions and knowledge exchange for elected representatives, government officials and stakeholders associated with rural governance.
He said the development of villages remains central to Odisha’s progress and stressed that stronger grassroots institutions are essential for effective governance and implementation of welfare programmes.
Officials informed that the facility will host seminars, conferences and training sessions on subjects such as digital governance, Localisation of Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs), Panchayat Progress Index (PGI), social inclusion, women’s empowerment, sanitation, livelihood promotion and utilisation of Finance Commission grants.
The auditorium will also feature modern audio-visual infrastructure along with dedicated spaces for exhibitions, documentary screenings and thematic programmes aimed at strengthening the overall training ecosystem at SIRD&PR.
According to officials, the facility is expected to improve collaboration and interaction among Panchayat representatives, administrative officers, development practitioners and community organisations involved in rural transformation initiatives.
The minister said the project reflects the state government’s commitment towards empowering Gram Panchayats and building efficient and self-reliant rural governance institutions in Odisha.
Senior officials present at the programme included Girish S. N., Commissioner-cum-Secretary of Panchayati Raj & Drinking Water Department; Vineet Bhardwaj, Director of Drinking Water & Sanitation; Siddharth Shankar Swain, Director of Special Projects; Madhusmita Samal, Additional Secretary; and Indramani Nayak, Director of Panchayati Raj.
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