President lays foundation stone for Sri Jagannath spiritual centre in J’khand

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Jamshedpur, February 26

President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday performed the ground-breaking ceremony of the Sri Jagannath Spiritual and Cultural Charitable Centre Trust at Kadma area in Jharkhand’s Jamshedpur, and laid its foundation stone.

Murmu performed the ‘Bhumi Pujan’ amid the chanting of vedic mantras by priests.

Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Governor Santosh Gangwar, Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Tata Steel CEO & MD T V Narendran were also present on the occasion.

Earlier, Murmu was accorded a warm welcome by Soren and Gangwar upon her arrival at Ranchi airport.

The East Singhbhum district administration has made elaborate security arrangements in view of the President’s visit, officials said.

S K Behera, industrialist and managing trustee of the Sri Jagannath Spiritual and Cultural Charitable Centre Trust, said the proposed spiritual centre will be a replica of the 12th century Jagannath temple in Odisha’s Puri.

It will be developed over a 2.5-acre land near river Kharkhai at an estimated cost of Rs 100 crore.

The project is expected to boost religious tourism in Jharkhand and also serve as a hub for “character building and ethical development” of the younger generation.

“We aim to foster holistic personality development of today’s youth and those pursuing higher education,” Behera said.

PTI