Bhubaneswar: The Odisha chief minister celebrated Diwali with orphan children, here on Sunday.
Patnaik visited the SOS Children’s Village, Bhubaneswar, one of the biggest orphanage in the State, in the evening and spend times with the inmates, He fired crackers with the children and distributed gifts and sweet among them.
The chief minister, on this occasion, announced Rs 20 lakh financial assistance to the SOS Village for developmental works.
The 5Ts secretary who is also the personal secretary to the chief minister, VK Pandian, and the director of SOS Village Ajaya Das were present.
The chief secretary Asit Tripathy visited the Chetana Institutioin of Special Education, a school for dibyanga children on Sunday evening and celebrated the festival of light with the inmates.
Earlier in the day, the chief minister advised senior officials including chief secretary, development commissioner, agriculture production commissioner and senior officers of his CMO to visit child care institutions and celebrate Diwali with the children. The district collectors were advised to visit the orphanage in their respective districts to celebrate Diwali with the inmates. The DG Police, all senior police officers and SPs had been advised to spend in battalions and celebrate Diwali there with the jawans and their family members.