Bhubaneswar: This year’s state-level Independence Day celebration will be held at Mahatma Gandhi Marg in Odisha capital here.

This was revealed during a joint meeting of the Home and Information & Public Relations (I&PR) departments, chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, here today.

A total of 40 contingents of school and college students and Odisha Police are scheduled to participate in the state-level Independence Day celebrations at Mahatma Gandhi Marg here.

The Chief Minister will grace the occasion as chief guest and hoist the National Flag. He will also receive the guard of honour at the parade and address the people.

The Chief Minister directed the concerned departments to sanction additional funds for this year’s district-level Independence Day celebrations.

“Independence Day is a national festival. This is a very special day for the entire country. The state government will celebrate the Independence Day in a befitting manner,” said the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) in a statement.

Home department Additional Chief Secretary Deoranjan Kumar Singh and Special Secretary Santosh Bala, I&PR department Principal Secretary Sanjay Kumar Singh and twin city Police Commissioner Sanjeeb Panda among others were present at the meeting.

Notably, the venue of the state-level Independence Day celebration had been shifted from Mahatma Gandhi Marg to Unit-3 Exhibition Ground during the Covid-19 pandemic.