BHUBANESWAR: With BJP likely to announce the name of its Odisha chief minister on Wednesday, search has begun for an official residence. Odisha at present does not have an official CM’s residence, with Naveen Patnaik operating from his own residence – Naveen Niwas – for the last 24 years.
“The general administration department has begun the exercise to look for an appropriate and sprawling quarter for the new chief minister’s residence.A few vacant quarters including the CM’s grievance cell have been shortlisted. After selection of the quarter, immediate renovation and installation of facilities will be done. But it will take some time,” a senior government official said.
In the past, former Congress CMs JB Patnaik and Giridhar Gamang used to reside in a government quarter located on the stretch between Raj Bhavan and AG Square. This house was later converted into the chief minister’s grievance cell by Naveen.
For the time being, the government is planning to get a suite ready in the state guest house for temporary accommodation of the chief minister till a suitable house is found.
“During his tenure as CM (1980-89 and 1995-99), JB used to stay in the building which is now the CM’s grievance cell. Giridhar Gamang stayed in the same house when he was the CM from Feb 1999 to Dec 1999. The quarter has not been allotted to anyone after Naveen took over in 2000,” said Basanta Kumar Satpathy, a retired govt official.
“Many states have exclusive official residence for their CMs. The house where we lived during my father’s tenure as chief minister was not the official residence of the CM. The house had undergone renovation during JB Patnaik’s tenure,” Shishir Gamang, son of former CM Giridhar, said.
Shishir said the new chief minister’s official residence should have public access unlike Naveen Niwas. “My father used to meet people at our home, which was accessible to all. We all saw how the govt kept Naveen Niwas off limits and prevented entry of common people. The new chief minister’s residence should be accessible to the people after proper security checks,” he said.
“The general administration department has begun the exercise to look for an appropriate and sprawling quarter for the new chief minister’s residence.A few vacant quarters including the CM’s grievance cell have been shortlisted. After selection of the quarter, immediate renovation and installation of facilities will be done. But it will take some time,” a senior government official said.
In the past, former Congress CMs JB Patnaik and Giridhar Gamang used to reside in a government quarter located on the stretch between Raj Bhavan and AG Square. This house was later converted into the chief minister’s grievance cell by Naveen.
For the time being, the government is planning to get a suite ready in the state guest house for temporary accommodation of the chief minister till a suitable house is found.
“During his tenure as CM (1980-89 and 1995-99), JB used to stay in the building which is now the CM’s grievance cell. Giridhar Gamang stayed in the same house when he was the CM from Feb 1999 to Dec 1999. The quarter has not been allotted to anyone after Naveen took over in 2000,” said Basanta Kumar Satpathy, a retired govt official.
“Many states have exclusive official residence for their CMs. The house where we lived during my father’s tenure as chief minister was not the official residence of the CM. The house had undergone renovation during JB Patnaik’s tenure,” Shishir Gamang, son of former CM Giridhar, said.
Shishir said the new chief minister’s official residence should have public access unlike Naveen Niwas. “My father used to meet people at our home, which was accessible to all. We all saw how the govt kept Naveen Niwas off limits and prevented entry of common people. The new chief minister’s residence should be accessible to the people after proper security checks,” he said.
