Union Education Minister Dedicates Tata Steel Foundation’s Community Initiatives in Angul and Dhenkanal

DHENKANAL:Dharmendra Pradhan, the Union Minister of Education, today dedicated a series of community development initiatives of Tata Steel Foundation (TSF) at Joragadia, near Banarpal in the Angul district, in the presence of other dignitaries. He also performed the Bhumi Poojan at the location for illumination NH 55 and at Nuahata for solar-powered road lighting project.

The illumination of a 3.5 km stretch on NH-55 from Itap to Nuahata Chowk will improve safety for the commuters, and a 20 km solar-powered road lighting project from Santri Chowk to Maidharpur in elephant-prone zones, to benefit the road users while reducing carbon emissions by 35 tonnes annually.

In Angul’s Banarpal block, community development works worth ?1.28 crore include the construction of a 1 km cement concrete road with drains and a community centre at Diha Sahi, and the installation of two high mast and 82 streetlights in Nuahata Gram Panchayat. In Dhenkanal, projects worth ?1 crore include a Suchana Kendra at Hindol, a new school building at Narendrapur, and the deployment of eight high mast and 160 streetlights across Hindol and Odapada blocks.

Before inaugurating the community infrastructure programme, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan visited Tata Steel Meramandali’s Biodiversity Park along with other dignitaries and formally launched the plantation drive as part of the Government of India’s ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative, for planting 5,000 saplings at the Park and adjoining areas.

The ceremony was graced by; Shri Pratap Chandra Pradhan, MLA, Angul; Abdaal M. Akhtar, Collector & District Magistrate, Angul; Ashish Iswar Patil, Collector & District Magistrate, Dhenkanal; Shri Abhinav Sonkar, Superintendent of Police (SP), Dhenkanal; Shri Rahul Jain, Superintendent of Police, Angul; Shri Nitish Kumar, Divisional Forest Officer, Angul; Shri Sumit Kumar Kar, Divisional Forest Officer, Dhenkanal; along with Uttam Singh, Vice President – (Operations), Tata Steel Meramandali, and D B Sundara Ramam, Vice President, (Corporate Services),Tata Steel and Director, TSF.

Shri Uttam Singh, Vice President – Operations, Tata Steel Meramandali, said, “At Tata Steel Meramandali, 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, Corporate Services, Tata Steel and Director, TSF, added, “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 people from the nearby villages, other senior government officials, officials from Tata Steel and Tata Steel Foundation were present on the occasion.

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