Dikhyaa Mohanty 
In the town of Sambalpur, Odisha, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will launch the Samaleswari Temple Area Management and Local Economy Initiatives (SAMALEI) project. This occurs ten days following the religious and political spectacle in Puri that saw the great opening of Srimandir Parikrama Prakalpa, which was carefully scheduled to coincide with the Ayodhya Ram Temple’s consecration. The SAMALEI project in western Odisha, which is considered a BJP stronghold, is expected to witness an equally magnificent opening, ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official tour to the town in the first week of February. And this temple gambit by the BJD is being seen as an attempt to outmanoeuvre the BJP in the state and counter its Hindutva push ahead of the twin elections.
The 16th-century Samaleswari Temple, the abode of the presiding deity of the western Odisha, on the banks of the Mahanadi has seen remarkable transformation over 39 acre of its peripheral area under Rs 200-crore project, which include a 1km heritage corridor, heritage gates, improvement of access to the temple, and state-of-the-art amenities for the pilgrims. Development of Mahanadi river front is also part of the project. The SAMALEI scheme is being implemented by the Odisha Bridge and Construction Corporation (OBCC).
The Odisha Bridge and Construction Corporation (OBCC) is implementing the SAMALEI scheme. The chief minister (CM) of Odisha stated in a speech to the state’s citizens on Friday that the state will always remember those who offered to give up their lands for this project. “With the blessings of Maa Samaleswari, this project could be completed despite the hurdles during the COVID-19 pandemic,” he continued, going into further detail about the reason behind the shrine’s transformative improvements.
In addition to offering devotees and people an experience of serenity and divine bliss, Naveen stated that it will contribute to the region’s economy and tourism. “Now, thousands of devotees can congregate at the ghat to witness Mahanadi Alati,” he continued.
