BHUBANESWAR: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on September 16 inaugurated India’s 51st Doppler Weather Radar (DWR) at Sambalpur, marking a significant step towards strengthening weather forecasting and disaster management in western Odisha. The state-of-the-art ‘Make in India’ radar is expected to provide timely and accurate weather information to the region and enhance preparedness against extreme weather events. At a function held at Gangadhar Meher University, Majhi also inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 50 major development projects worth around Rs 960 crore in Sambalpur.
Union Minister for Earth Sciences Dr Jitendra Singh, in a virtual message, described the Sambalpur radar as a major achievement and an important milestone in India’s weather forecasting system. He said the country has steadily expanded its capacity to provide timely weather information. Since 2014, the IMD and space science have received high priority under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, he said, adding that India is now strengthening its own forecasting capabilities while also extending weather-related assistance to neighbouring countries.
The Union Minister announced that another 40 Doppler Weather Radars would be added to the national network in the coming days. The expansion would further strengthen weather monitoring and forecasting capabilities and help provide more accurate weather information across different regions.
Describing the Sambalpur radar as a major milestone in the country’s forecasting system, Dr Singh said the strengthening of Odisha’s weather-monitoring infrastructure marked an important step towards making the state more climate-resilient.
Third Doppler Radar in Odisha
The Sambalpur facility, the 51st Doppler Weather Radar in the country and the third in Odisha after Paradip and Gopalpur.
The advanced ‘Make in India’ radar is expected to significantly strengthen weather forecasting and disaster preparedness across western Odisha. It will provide detailed weather information for 13 districts—Sambalpur, Bargarh, Jharsuguda, Sundargarh, Deogarh, Subarnapur, Balangir, Boudh, Nuapada, Angul, Kalahandi, Keonjhar and Dhenkanal.
The radar’s coverage will also extend to parts of neighbouring Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, strengthening regional weather monitoring beyond Odisha’s borders.
250-km Accurate Data Coverage
The radar will operate round the clock and provide accurate weather data within a radius of around 250 km, while monitoring weather movements up to approximately 450 km.
It will enable authorities to track thunderstorms, lightning, heavy rainfall and hailstorms and issue timely warnings to the public. The system is expected to improve preparedness and response to extreme weather events, particularly during the pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons.
ସମୃଦ୍ଧ ଓ ସୁରକ୍ଷିତ ଓଡ଼ିଶା ଗଠନ ସଂକଳ୍ପ ଦିଗରେ ଏକ ନୂତନ ଯୁଗର ଅଭ୍ୟୁଦୟ। ସମ୍ବଲପୁରର ଗଙ୍ଗାଧର ମେହେର ବିଶ୍ୱବିଦ୍ୟାଳୟଠାରେ ଆୟୋଜିତ ସମାରୋହରେ ମାନ୍ୟବର ମୁଖ୍ୟମନ୍ତ୍ରୀ ଶ୍ରୀ ମୋହନ ଚରଣ ମାଝୀ, କେନ୍ଦ୍ର ଭୂ-ବିଜ୍ଞାନ ମନ୍ତ୍ରୀ ଡକ୍ଟର ଜିତେନ୍ଦ୍ର ସିଂହଙ୍କ ଆଭାସୀ ଉପସ୍ଥିତିରେ ଦେଶର ୫୧ତମ ତଥା ଅତ୍ୟାଧୁନିକ ‘ମେକ୍ ଇନ୍ ଇଣ୍ଡିଆ’ ଡପ୍ଲର… pic.twitter.com/oL4OEjFm2l
— CMO Odisha (@CMO_Odisha) September 16, 2026
The radar will estimate rainfall at a resolution of 150 metres every 10 minutes. Such high-frequency data will improve weather-based decision-making in agriculture, water-resource management and disaster response.
Boost to Agriculture and Hirakud Reservoir Management
Farmers in western Odisha, particularly in Bargarh, one of the state’s major agricultural regions, are expected to benefit from advance information on pre-monsoon thunderstorms, lightning and hailstorms.
The system will also cover a substantial part of the Mahanadi basin. Its rainfall estimates will help strengthen monitoring of inflows into the Hirakud reservoir and support more effective water-resource and irrigation management.
The radar’s weather intelligence will have applications beyond agriculture and disaster management. It can assist preparedness and operational planning in sectors such as power, industry, transportation and electricity-grid management.
Odisha to Expand Radar Network
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said the Sambalpur radar would prove to be a major support for the protection of life and property, agriculture and irrigation.
Speaking to the media, Majhi said the Sambalpur facility had special regional significance as it would bring a large part of Odisha within the advanced weather forecasting network.
He said the state government was working towards establishing additional Doppler Weather Radars at Balasore, Bhubaneswar and Puri. The expansion would strengthen weather-monitoring coverage across Odisha and support the government’s objective of developing a technology-driven and proactive disaster management system.
Focus on Zero-Casualty Disaster Management
Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said the installation of the radar in western Odisha had fulfilled a long-standing demand of the people of the region.
He said Odisha had adopted a ‘Zero Casualty’ approach to disaster management, with emphasis on preparedness, early warning and timely response.
According to Pujari, the Sambalpur radar would provide farmers, residents and disaster-response agencies in 13 districts of western and adjoining Odisha with critical information on lightning, heavy rainfall and storms well in advance.
He said timely and accurate weather information would enable authorities and communities to undertake preventive measures and improve disaster preparedness.
Pujari added that the government was working towards creating a technology-driven, proactive disaster management system under which more areas of Odisha would be brought within an advanced weather-monitoring network.
Rs 960 Crore Development Package for Sambalpur
The inauguration of the Doppler Weather Radar was part of a larger development programme undertaken during Chief Minister Majhi’s visit to Sambalpur.
The Chief Minister inaugurated and laid foundation stones for 50 development projects with a combined value of around Rs 960 crore. Of these, 15 completed projects worth Rs 133.47 crore were inaugurated, while foundation stones were laid for 35 new projects valued at Rs 825.83 crore.
ଆଜି ସମ୍ବଲପୁରର ପବିତ୍ର ମାଟିରେ ମା’ ସମଲେଶ୍ୱରୀଙ୍କ ଆଶୀର୍ବାଦ ନେବା ସହ ମୋର ପ୍ରିୟ ଭାଇ ଓ ଭଉଣୀମାନଙ୍କ ଗହଣରେ ବିକାଶର ଏକ ନୂତନ ଅଧ୍ୟାୟ ଯୋଡ଼ିବାର ସୌଭାଗ୍ୟ ମିଳିଲା। ସମ୍ବଲପୁର ମାଟିର ଆତିଥେୟତା, ଅତ୍ମୀୟତା ଏବଂ ସଂସ୍କୃତିର ଗୌରବଗାଥା ମୋତେ ପ୍ରତିମୁହୂର୍ତ୍ତରେ ଜନସେବା ପାଇଁ ଏକ ନୂତନ ପ୍ରେରଣା ଯୋଗାଏ। ପବିତ୍ର ନୂଆଁଖାଇ ଅବସରରେ… pic.twitter.com/DESeyW7jQT
— Mohan Charan Majhi (@MohanMOdisha) September 16, 2026
The projects cover health, rural development, sports, roads and buildings and water resources. They include a Rs 60.50-crore rural development project for Kuchinda, sports infrastructure worth Rs 74.72 crore and road and building projects amounting to Rs 585 crore.
The water-resource component includes a Rs 220.56-crore mega lift irrigation project and minor irrigation projects worth Rs 8.88 crore.
Rs 1,910 Crore Works Taken Up Since January
The Chief Minister said around Rs 1,910 crore worth of development works had been undertaken in Sambalpur between January and September 2026.
He referred to major infrastructure projects, including a four-lane bypass estimated at Rs 1,521 crore, expansion of the Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR) at a cost of Rs 1,700 crore, a Rs 100-crore Aqua Park and the Rs 100-crore second phase of the Samaleswari Temple development project.
He also highlighted the Rs 238.14-crore allocation for the Ainthapali bus terminal, including its maintenance for 10 years.
Under AMRUT 2.0, a Rs 450-crore ‘Drink from Tap’ project is being implemented to address drinking water-related problems in Sambalpur. The project envisages supplying 100 million litres of treated water to 41 wards.
Expansion works on the Burla and Hirakud Ring Roads and the Remed-Hirakud four-lane road are also progressing, he said.
Major Industrial Investments in Western Odisha
Highlighting the industrial potential of western Odisha, Majhi said major investments were being implemented in the region.
He said Hindalco’s expansion at Lapanga involved an investment of around Rs 40,000 crore, while JSW-JFE was implementing a Rs 32,000-crore steel project at Rengali.
The Chief Minister also referred to the construction of an Agriculture Bhawan and women’s hostels, modernisation of the Sambalpur Football Academy and preparation of the Hirakud Dam Master Plan.
He said the state government had set a long-term target of transforming Odisha into a $500-billion economy by 2036 and a $1.5-trillion economy by 2047.
Women’s Empowerment and Infrastructure
Majhi highlighted women-oriented initiatives, including Subhadra, Mukhyamantri Kanya Bibaha and Kanya Sumangal, and said 40 per cent of the state budget was being spent for women.
Referring to major infrastructure investments in Odisha, he said the state had received projects involving Rs 90,000 crore in railways, Rs 40,000 crore in roads, Rs 25,000 crore in ports and Rs 25,000 crore in shipbuilding.
The Chief Minister also spoke about the recognition accorded to the creators and artistes associated with the iconic Sambalpuri song ‘Rangabati’. He said the Padma Shri honours conferred on the three personalities associated with the song reflected national recognition of Odisha’s rich cultural heritage.
Sambalpur’s Cultural Identity Highlighted
Beginning his address, Majhi paid tribute to Maa Samaleswari, Veer Surendra Sai, martyr Madho Singh, Chhabil Sai, Sant Kabi Bhima Bhoi and Swabhaba Kabi Gangadhar Meher. He described Sambalpur as a symbol of western Odisha’s art, culture and traditions and said Sambalpuri language, culture, songs and handloom represented the pride of the region.
He said Sambalpur would continue to remain an important centre of the state government’s development journey towards building a ‘Prosperous Odisha 2036’.
The Chief Minister also appealed to people to participate in the month-long Seva Sankalp campaign, ‘Ashirwadara Deepa’ and the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ programme being organised in connection with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 76th birthday and Vishwakarma Puja.
Senior Officials Attend Ceremony
The programme was attended by Rajya Sabha MP Manmohan Samal, MLA Jayanarayan Mishra, IMD Director General Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Special Relief Commissioner Rajesh Prabhakar Patil, Northern Range DIG Charan Singh Meena, Sambalpur Collector Siddheshwar Baliram Bondar and other senior officials and members of the public.
