Bhubaneswar: A state-level preparatory meeting was convened today at the conference room of Lok Seva Bhavan under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Anu Garg to ensure flawless arrangements for the upcoming visit of President of India, Droupadi Murmu, to Rourkela on April 21.
The Chief Secretary reviewed preparations with senior officials and issued detailed instructions to all concerned departments for smooth execution of the President’s programme. The meeting was attended by Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary Deo Ranjan Kumar Singh, Additional Chief Secretary (Home, Industries, I&PR) Hemant Sharma, Additional Chief Secretary (Labour & ESI, Science & Technology) Chitra Arumugam, and other senior secretaries and officers.Special Secretary (Home) R.K. Sharma briefed the meeting about the visit schedule.
President Murmu is scheduled to depart from New Delhi on the morning of April 21 by an Indian Air Force aircraft and land at Jharsuguda Airport at 10:25 AM. She will then proceed to Rourkela by a special helicopter, reaching Rourkela Airport at 11:10 AM.
In Rourkela, the President will attend a public meeting at Sector-13, inaugurate several public welfare projects including the newly constructed Command Control Centre Bhawan, Science Park and Planetarium, and Pramod Garden Dyan at Koel Nagar. She will also visit the Jan Jati Museum and the Command Control Centre at NTR, Rourkela. The President is expected to return to New Delhi via Jharsuguda Airport in the evening, departing at 4:50 PM.
Sundergarh District Magistrate Dr. Subhankar Mohapatra briefed the meeting on ground-level preparations. Both Sundergarh and Jharsuguda district administrations have been directed to keep Circuit Houses fully ready. Comprehensive security arrangements have been finalised for the airport, helipad, Circuit Houses, public meeting venue and inauguration sites, with inputs from DGP Y.B. Khurania, Western Range DIG, and district SPs through virtual mode.
Arindam Daqua, Municipal Director and Additional Secretary, Housing & Urban Development Department, has been appointed as the State-level Nodal Officer for coordination. Special emphasis has been laid on public amenities at the Sector-13 public meeting venue, including adequate drinking water, ORS packets, primary medical facilities, uninterrupted power supply, and ventilation arrangements, keeping in view the prevailing heat wave conditions.
Detailed discussions were held on fire safety, road maintenance, sanitation, stage setup, barricading, pass arrangements, and wide publicity through mass media. A dedicated Control Room will function from the State Home Department to monitor all arrangements.
