The Nabakalebar 2015 here, to be celebrated after 19 years, is considered as the most significant religious and cultural event like the Kumbha Mela, which is held every six years in Allahabad.
It is estimated that the Nabakalebar will attract about 50 lakh people, including devotees and tourists from all over the world. But surprisingly, while the Kumbha Mela could avail Special Central Assistance (SCA) to the tune of Rs 1,195 crore, Odisha is yet to get anything as SCA for the Nabakalebar.
“We have been executing infrastructure and all developmental work necessary for the Nabakalebar 2015 from the State’s own resources. Although the Chief Minister has sought SCA worth Rs 1,397 crore, the Central Government is yet to release a single rupee,” said Puri MlA and Chairman of Nabakalebar Infrastructure Supervision Committee (NISC) Maheswar Mohanty.
The Chief Minister on May 21, 2013 had written to the Centre stating, “The most important event in the calendar of lord Jagannath is the Nabakalebar ceremony, which takes place every 12 to 19 years. The ritual is followed for centuries and is the grandest of all ceremonies associated with the Jagannath Temple when the deities leave their old forms and assume new ones.”
Meanwhile, different departments have fast-tracked efforts to complete related works of different projects before March 2015. Keeping in view the huge expenditure required for these projects, the State Government has asked the Centre to sanction funds under SCA.
“So far, there has not been any constraint. Still, a lot is needed from the Central Government. The Chief Minister should once again write to the Centre for releasing fund under SCA,”Mohanty said.
Meanwhile, there has been a change of guard at the Centre as the BJP-led NDA has taken over the reins. Some Ministers and bureaucrats of the State Government expect that the Centre will sanction the proposed SCA for the Nabakalebar soon.
The projects lined up for the Nabakalebar cover development of new infrastructure and strengthening of existing services, amenities, capacity building and augmentation of various networks including State Highways, major district roads, flyovers across the Golden Triangle, stretches of NH, power transmission projects, new grid substations at Puri, Konark and Samuka, doubling of railway lines, upgradation of railway stations, road overbridges, pedestrian underpasses, bus-stands, accommodation facilities and services. Chief Sec GC Pati is reviewing the status of these projects, which are to be implemented in a time-bound manner.