Odisha’s CM house gets new occupant after 25 years, Majhi moves in

For the first time in almost 25 years, the official residence of Odisha’s Chief Minister in Bhubaneswar has a new occupant. On Thursday, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, along with his family, moved into new official residence  on Raj Bhavan Marg in Bhubaneswar. The CM conducted the housewarming ceremony at 10:47 AM. The auspicious housewarming ceremony was conducted with great reverence, with priests from Puri presiding over the rituals. The Chief Minister, accompanied by his wife, then stepped into the house.
The two-storey official residence, located strategically between Raj Bhavan and AG Square, has remained unoccupied for over twenty years. Since 2000, when Naveen Patnaik became Chief Minister, the house has been vacant, as he chose to live in his own private residence instead. Odisha Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Naveen Patnaik, during his 24-year tenure, operated from his personal home, Naveen Niwas, when he was the Chief Minister of the state. For a quarter-century, all official and administrative work was conducted from Naveen Niwas — a palatial mansion built by his father and former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik.Before Patnaik’s tenure, the CM quarters were home to former Chief Ministers J.B. Patnaik and Giridhar Gamang.
After becoming the CM, Majhi initially stayed in government quarters on Gandhi Marg for around eight months.Given the prolonged disuse of the CM residence, the government undertook a major renovation project that lasted eight months before making the residence habitable once again. The refurbished CM House now boasts multiple conference rooms, a watchtower for security, and a sprawling garden in the front, providing both functionality and aesthetic appeal.