Narendra Modi to Inaugurate RBI Data Centre in Odisha

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Odisha on October 25 to inaugurate the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Greenfield Data Centre and Enterprise Computing & Cybersecurity Training Institute. Located at Info Valley-II in Jatni, Khordha, the Tier IV-certified facility cost Rs 169 crore and spans 18.55 acres. It is designed to secure financial payment systems and provide training in artificial intelligence and quantum computing.

The visit is part of a broader itinerary that includes visiting Uttar Pradesh to open an Arvind Limited garment facility and attend the Indian Air Force's 'Wings over Ganges' aerial display in Varanasi. In Odisha, the Prime Minister will arrive at Biju Patnaik International Airport, travel by helicopter to the venue, and depart by 6:30 PM. To secure the event, the twin-city commissionerate police deployed 70 platoons and issued traffic restrictions across Bhubaneswar.

The project has faced opposition from the Indian National Congress, which alleges the facility will consume approximately 20 million litres of fresh water daily. Party leaders claim this demand will deplete groundwater in the Khordha district, threatening local agriculture and livelihoods. Former finance minister Panchanan Kanungo questioned the project's local employment benefits and claimed other states had previously refused to host the centre.