Odisha govt seeks land for accommodation facility in Bengaluru

With a substantial number of Odias residing in Bengaluru, the Odisha government today urged the Karnataka government to provide one acre of land for construction of an Odisha Bhawan in the southern state.

"May I request you to provide us one acre of land in a prime locality of the city preferably in north Bengaluru around Yellahanka or Hebbal areas so that an appropriate facility can be created by us," Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik wrote to his Karnataka counterpart Siddaramaiah.

Stating that nearly five lakh Odia residents are in Bengaluru engaged in sectors like Information Technology, hospitality industries and allied areas, Patnaik said these people were making valuable contribution to the economy of Karnataka.

There has been improvement in connectivity between both the cities (Bhubaneswar and Bengaluru) with direct flights and a number of trains permitting greeted travel and closer association, Patnaik said.

"We have decided to establish an Odisha Bhawan, a state government facility for accommodation which will also serve as a meeting point for Odias in Bengaluru city. Like other Bhawans, this will also become a nerve centre for Odisha's art, craft, culture and cuisine," Patnaik said in the letter which was made available to the media.

Patnaik sought an early action from the Karnataka government in this matter.