Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday dedicated India’s 51st Doppler Weather Radar (DWR) and launched 50 developmental projects worth Rs 960 crore during a ceremony at Gangadhar Meher University in Sambalpur.
The project package includes the inauguration of 15 completed projects worth Rs 133.47 crore and foundation stone laying for 35 new initiatives totalling Rs 825.83 crore across healthcare, sports, rural infrastructure, roads, and irrigation.
Key Highlights of the Development Package
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Disaster Management Upgrade: The newly launched ‘Make in India’ Doppler Weather Radar is the third in the state after Paradip and Gopalpur. Operating 24/7, it provides precise meteorological data within a 250 km radius and tracks weather patterns up to 450 km.
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Coverage Across 13 Districts: The radar will monitor weather across 13 districts—including Sambalpur, Baragada, Jharsuguda, Sundaragada, Debagada, Subarnapur, Balangir, Boudh, Nuapada, Anugola, Kalahandi, Kendujhar, and Dhenkanal—as well as parts of neighbouring Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.
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Agricultural & Reservoir Support: Featuring 150-meter resolution updates every 10 minutes, the radar will track pre-monsoon thunderstorms, lightning, and hailstorms to protect crops in the Mahanadi basin and assist inflow management at the Hirakud Reservoir.
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Urban & Industrial Growth: The CM highlighted ongoing projects in Sambalpur totalling ₹1,910 crore between January and September 2026, including a Rs 450 crore “Drink from Tap” project under AMRUT 2.0, Hindalco’s Rs 40,000 crore expansion in Lapanga, and JSW-JFE Steel’s Rs 32,000 crore project in Rengali.
Expansion Plans & Zero-Casualty Vision
Union Minister of Earth Sciences Dr Jitendra Singh, who joined virtually, noted that the country plans to add 40 more Doppler radars to bolster national forecasting capabilities. Chief Minister Majhi also announced plans to install additional radars in Baleshwar, Bhubaneswar, and Puri.
State Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari reinforced the government’s commitment to a technology-driven, “Zero Casualty” disaster mitigation strategy.
The event was attended by Rajya Sabha MP Manmohan Samal, MLA Jayanarayan Mishra, Director General of the India Meteorological Department Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Special Relief Commissioner Rajesh Prabhakar Patil, and other senior officials.
