Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan today inaugurated a series of community development initiatives by the Tata Steel Foundation (TSF) at Joragadia, near Banarpal in the Angul district, attended by various dignitaries. He also conducted a groundbreaking ceremony for the illumination of NH 55 and for a solar-powered road lighting project at Nuahata.
The illumination of a 3.5 km stretch on NH-55 from Itap to Nuahata Chowk aims to enhance safety for commuters. Additionally, a 20 km solar-powered road lighting project from Santri Chowk to Maidharpur, located in elephant-prone areas, will benefit road users while reducing carbon emissions by 35 tonnes annually.
In the Banarpal block of Angul, community development projects worth ₹1.28 crore include the construction of a 1 km cement concrete road with drainage, a community centre at Diha Sahi, and the installation of two high-mast and 82 streetlights in the Nuahata Gram Panchayat. In Dhenkanal, projects valued at ₹1 crore encompass a Suchana Kendra at Hindol, a new school building at Narendrapur, and the installation of eight high-mast and 160 streetlights across the Hindol and Odapada blocks.
Before inaugurating the community infrastructure program, Pradhan visited Tata Steel Meramandali’s Biodiversity Park, accompanied by other dignitaries, and officially launched a plantation drive as part of the Government of India’s ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative, aiming to plant 5,000 saplings at the Park and its surrounding areas.
The ceremony was attended by numerous dignitaries, including Pratap Chandra Pradhan, MLA of Angul; Abdaal M. Akhtar, Collector & District Magistrate of Angul; Ashish Iswar Patil, Collector & District Magistrate of Dhenkanal; Abhinav Sonkar, Superintendent of Police (SP), Dhenkanal; Rahul Jain, Superintendent of Police, Angul; Nitish Kumar, Divisional Forest Officer, Angul; Sumit Kumar Kar, Divisional Forest Officer, Dhenkanal; along with Uttam Singh, Vice President of Operations at Tata Steel Meramandali, and D. B. Sundara Ramam, Vice President of Corporate Services at Tata Steel and Director of TSF.
Uttam Singh, Vice President of Operations at Tata Steel Meramandali, added, “We believe development must go hand in hand with community well-being. These projects are designed to bring lasting benefits—safer roads, better facilities, and improved public infrastructure—for the people who are an integral part of our growth journey.”
D. B. Sundara Ramam, Vice President of Corporate Services at Tata Steel and Director of TSF, remarked, “Tata Steel Foundation is deeply invested in creating sustainable and inclusive development across the region. By addressing essential needs such as safety, education, and community spaces, we aim to empower people and strengthen the social fabric of the areas we serve.”
A large number of people from nearby villages, along with senior government officials and representatives from Tata Steel and TSF, were present at the occasion.
