Badamba (Cuttack): Ahead of Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah’s visit to Badamba on Sunday, the Cuttack district administration has stepped up preparations.

Sources said during a public meeting at Sunapal in Badamba, Shah is likely to inaugurate key development projects, including the Badamba sugar mill and the Hadua irrigation project.

Notably, Shah had promised the revival of the Badamba sugar mill during the 2024 election campaign. Rajya Sabha MP Manmohan Samal had also earlier announced plans regarding the project during the ‘Mati Mora Gaon’ programme, while local MLA Bijay Kumar Dalabehera had included the reopening of the mill in his election manifesto.

The state government has signed an agreement worth ₹352 crore with Indian Potash Limited for the operation of the sugar mill. The project is expected to produce around 350 metric tonnes of sugar.

In addition, facilities for ethanol, bio-CNG, spirit production, a cold storage unit and a solar power plant are planned within the complex. The project is expected to generate direct employment for around 600 people.

Similarly, the long-pending Hadua irrigation project is also likely to be inaugurated during the Union Minister’s visit. Approximately ₹265 crore has been spent on the construction of the dam, while an additional ₹196 crore is expected to be utilised for irrigation infrastructure. The project is expected to provide drinking water to nearly 293 villages.

A 1 MW hydropower project near the dam is also planned.

However, the detailed official itinerary of the Union Minister’s visit is yet to be released.