Kataka: Marking a significant milestone in Odisha’s educational and intellectual landscape, the Vishwanath Pandit Central Library, one of the state's most modern public libraries, was inaugurated today at Badambadi, Kataka by Krushna Chandra Mahapatra, Minister for Housing & Urban Development.

Built over three acres at an investment of ₹42 crore, the state-of-the-art library is designed to promote reading, research, innovation and lifelong learning, providing world-class facilities to students, researchers, academicians and citizens alike.

Addressing the gathering, Mahapatra described the library as a landmark institution that would usher in a new era of knowledge and research in Kataka and across Odisha. He said the library would play a transformative role in strengthening the state's reading culture and creating an enabling environment for academic excellence and innovation.

Emphasising the Government's commitment to the holistic development of Kataka, the Minister said every effort is being made to transform the historic city into a cleaner, greener and more vibrant urban centre. He assured all developmental requirements of the city would receive priority attention from the State Government.

On the occasion, the Minister also inaugurated the Library Management System (LMS), enabling technology-driven library services and efficient digital management of books and members. In recognition of their invaluable contribution to Odisha's literary and publishing ecosystem, 35 eminent publishers from Kataka were felicitated during the ceremony.

A special logo for the year-long celebrations commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Kataka Municipal Corporation was also unveiled. In another significant development, the foundation stone for a modern Goshala to be developed over five acres at Gurdijhatia at an estimated cost of ₹21 crore was laid virtually by the Minister.

The inaugural ceremony was attended by Mayor Subash Singh, Barabati-Kataka MLA Sofia Firdous, Choudwar- Kataka MLA Souvic Biswal, Cuttack Sadar MLA Prakash Chandra Sethi, Deputy Mayor Damayanti Majhi, Chairpersons of Standing Committees, District Collector Dattatraya Bhausaheb Shinde, DCP Khilari Rishikesh Dnyandeo, elected representatives, corporators and senior officials.

Speaking on the occasion, KMC Commissioner Kirandeep Kaur Sahota said the Vishwanath Pandit Central Library would become an invaluable centre for knowledge creation, research and intellectual engagement, benefiting students, scholars, researchers and readers from across the state. She expressed confidence that the library would emerge as one of Odisha's premier knowledge institutions.

Developed by the Odisha State Police Housing & Welfare Corporation Ltd., the three-storey smart library houses over one lakh books and offers seating capacity for more than 1,000 readers. The facility includes a dedicated e-library, children's reading zone, research section, central air-conditioning, high-speed internet, photocopying services, an 84-seat auditorium, audio-visual conference room, 72-seat cafeteria, Divyang-friendly infrastructure, CCTV surveillance, 24×7 security, fire safety systems, solar power installation, ample parking space and landscaped green surroundings, making it one of the most comprehensive public library facilities in the state.