Sambalpur: Groundbreaking ceremony (bhumipujan) of the Samaleswari Temple Area Management and Local Area Economy Initiatives (SAMALEI) project was held on Friday evening.
Sambalpur Collector Dibyajyoti Parida, several senior officers of the district administration and officials of the project’s contractor were present during the ceremony.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced the SAMALEI project for the development of Sambalpur’s Maa Samaleswari Peeth and 108 acre land on the shrine’s periphery in February last year and had sanctioned Rs 200 crore.
The project is expected to be completed within a span of one and a half years. Land acquisition for the project has been completed.
The project includes beautification of the temple, economic development of the local people, and modern facilities for tourists and devotees.
