Cuttack, July 14: Housing & Urban Development Minister Dr. Krushna Chandra Mahapatra on Tuesday inaugurated state-of-the-art Vishwanath Pandit Central Library here marking a significant milestone in Odisha's educational and intellectual landscape.

Built over three acres at an investment of Rs 42 crore, the Vishwanath Pandit Central Library, one of the state's most modern public libraries, is designed to promote reading, research, innovation and lifelong learning, providing world-class facilities to students, researchers, academicians and citizens alike.

Dr. Mahapatra described the library as a landmark institution that would usher in a new era of knowledge and research in Cuttack 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.

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 Cuttack were felicitated during the ceremony.

A special logo for the year-long celebrations commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) 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 Rs 21 crore was laid virtually by the Minister.

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.