The programme commenced with senior officers of Rourkela Steel Plant namely Mr. Biswaranjan Palai, ED (Works) and Acting DIC,  Mr. B K Giri, ED (MD-CMLO),  Mr. Anil Kumar, ED (MM), Mr. M P Singh, ED (Mines, OGoM-CMLO), Mr. Rajesh Dasgupta, CGM (F&A) with additional charge of ED (F&A), Dr. J K Acharya, CMO In-Charge (M&HS), CGMs, Senior officers of RSP along with eminent citizens of the Steel City offering floral tributes and offering obeisance at the statue of Gandhiji at the scenic Mahatma Gandhi Udyan, Sec-18.

Thereafter, they joined a grand function organized at the Civic Centre to mark Gandhi Jayanti. Recitation of bhajans, rendition of the mantra of ‘Sarbadharma Samanwaya’ and revisiting of the key learnings from the life of the Mahatma made the occasion a truly memorable one.

The celebration began with the mellifluous rendering of Mahatma Gandhi’s favourite prayer, ‘Baishnaba Janato….’ by Mrs. Ashalata Sarangi, an eminent singer, and the artists of Singhari kala Niketan.

A Sarbadharma Sadhbhawna Sabha was the highlight of the programme. Rendering of portions of Holy Guru Granth Sahib by members of Mr. Guru Singh Sabha, Rourkela, some stanzas from the Holy Bible by a group from Sacred Heart Cathedral Church, Hamirpur, Holy Quran by a group from Ispat Anjuman, Sector-15 and recitation of portions of Shrimad Bhagwad Gita by students from Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Sector-7 were the highlights of the program.

The programme concluded with the collective reciting Bapu’s favourite Ramdhun. The programme was anchored by Mr. Anil Mallick, Junior Engineer, Silicon Steel Mill.

Mr. Manas Ranjan Rath, CGM (HR) with additional charge of ED (HR), RSP, attended the programme as the Chief Guest. Mr. Bivabasu Malik, GM (CSR), welcomed the gathering, while Mr. Rath urged students and villagers to adopt responsible sanitation practices. An engaging Nukkad Natak presented by the team of Sagar Rythms conveyed important messages on cleanliness and waste management. Mr. Purushottam Sahoo, DGM (CSR), proposed the vote of thanks.

Earlier a massive cleanliness drive at Bhanja Bhawan Complex in Sector-19 on September 20, 2026. Around 40 volunteers from the Swachchta Swabhiman Groups of the Steel Township, guided by the Public Health Department of RSP, participated in the intensive cleaning activity.

Senior officials, including Mr. C. M. Chugh, CGM (TE & Horticulture), Mr. Alok Kumar Behera, CGM (CCW), Mr. Hafik Kumar Say, CGM (Internal Audit) and many senior officers joined the drive. The participants also took the Swachhata Pledge, reaffirming their commitment to cleanliness, hygiene and a healthy environment. Under the supervision of TE-Public Health, the entire ground and surrounding areas of the complex were cleaned and accumulated waste was removed.

Through these initiatives, RSP reaffirmed its commitment to cleanliness, behavioural change, community participation and healthier living conditions.

Speaking on the occasion Mr. Sarkar encouraged the spouses to support and empathize with the retiring employees, helping them navigate the changes of post-retirement life for a smooth and positive transition.

A session on “Mindset for smooth Transition to a new phase of life after Retirement” was conducted by Mr. B Nahak, AGM (CP-2) while Mr. Pappu Kumar, AGM (F&A) deliberated on various aspects of Financial Security Planning.  Mr. T B Toppo, DGM (Horticulture) shared tips on Post Retirement Engagement while Dr. S Kumar, Additional CMO (OHSC) spoke about ‘Ensuring good health, well-being and holistic approach for a meaningful Life.’

Mr. S P Majhi, Assistant Manager (HR) welcomed the gathering and also proposed a formal vote of thanks. The workshop was co-ordinated by Mr. S C Nayak, Deputy Manager (HR) under the guidance of Mr. Avinash, AGM (HR) with the support of and HR- ER&C team.  It is noteworthy that the workshop is being held at regular intervals covering the spouses of the -to-be-retired employees.

The main function was held at the DIC office, where Mr. Alok Verma, DIC, RSP along with other officers and employees took the pledge.  Similar pledge taking ceremonies were also organised in the Offices of the Executive Directors, CGMs and Hods  along with other officers and employees, reaffirmed their commitment to promoting Hindi in official correspondence and documentation.

A thematic video on Vigilance Awareness Week was screened during the programme, along with a message from Mr. Alok Verma, Director-in-Charge (DIC). Highlighting the significance of this year’s campaign theme, “Probity for Prosperity” Mr. Bharti exhorted participants to uphold the highest standards of integrity in their work and treat vigilance as a shared responsibility for sustainable growth.

Mr. Sandeep Bansal, DGM (Vigilance), delivered a detailed presentation on public procurement, discussing various procurement procedures and emphasising the importance of strict adherence to PCP (Purchase Contract Procedures), SBD (Standard Bidding Documents), and CMMG (Corporate Materials Management Group) Guidelines in every procurement action. Mr. A.K. Biswal, DGM (Vigilance), took a session on ‘Preventive Vigilance’, apprising participants of various vigilance functions and explaining how planning officers can practice transparency, accountability, and ethical decision-making in their roles. Mr. M.K. Singh, Senior Manager (Vigilance), conducted a session on ABMS (Anti Bribery Management System) . The programme was coordinated by Mr. Sandeep Bansal, DGM (Vigilance).

This session reinforced RSP’s commitment to embedding a culture of integrity, transparency, and preventive vigilance across planning and procurement functions, in line with the Central Vigilance Commission’s directives for 2026.

The visit commenced from CPTI Building, followed by the Pellet Plant Project Site, Stamp Charge Battery Project site and the Expansion Site of RSP. During the visit to the expansion projects, Mr.  M P Singh, Executive Director (Mines), and Mr. S Pal Chowdhury, Executive Director (Projects), were also present along with other senior officials, who briefed him on the progress of the ongoing works and the implementation schedule.

Later, Mr.  Gupta held a detailed review meeting of the new expansion units with RSP officials at the Manthan Conference Hall of DIC Secretariat, where various project milestones, execution strategies and future course of action were deliberated.

In the evening, Mr. Gupta met officials of the Odisha Group of Mines (OGOM) and reviewed mining operations, raw material availability and other strategic issues related to SAIL’s mining activities in the region. Senior officials from RSP, Project Department, Mines Department and Odisha Group of Mines were present during the review meetings.

Notably, Mr. Gupta reached Rourkela on 29th July evening and is scheduled to visit various mines of SAIL on 31st July.

As part of its commitment to promoting quality education, construction of two additional classrooms at Barkani Primary School in Bisra Block is progressing steadily. Community Centres are being constructed at Birwal in Lathikata Block and at Kadamtola, Udusu in Bisra Block. During the quarter, a newly constructed Community Centre at Santospur in Bisra Block was inaugurated, creating a dedicated space for community gatherings, awareness programmes and social activities.

Borewells were successfully installed and commissioned at Lindra, Kadobahal and Jaidega villages, ensuring a reliable source of potable water for local residents.

Simultaneously, development works at Model Steel Villages (MSV) Centres at Baniguni and Chikatamati Health Centre are progressing, aimed at strengthening skill development and community welfare initiatives.

Development and strengthening of durable community assets and improving essential civic infrastructure in the region would help bringing about inclusive growth and sustainable development.

The department carried out extensive modification of LT power supply systems and service lines in Sector-22 residential quarters and laid copper power cables at the Tarapur Filter House and Booster Pump House to ensure smooth operation of motors. Several critical power distribution projects were also completed, including revival and commissioning of the Feeder-7 overhead line from Brahmani Water Works to Sector-8 substations, bus-bar modification at the Sector-17 Attending Substation, replacement and jointing of high-capacity underground cables and modification of Feeder-7 and Feeder-9 networks.

One of the major achievements during the year was the restoration of the 11 KV emergency power line from the Plant to the CISF Colony and CISF Barracks after nearly ten years, considerably enhancing emergency power reliability. The Vacuum Circuit Breaker (VCB) of Transformer-5 was also upgraded by replacing the Siemens make equipment with ABB make and successfully commissioned.

To further improve the reliability of the electrical network, the department overhauled three power transformers and 26 distribution transformers. In addition, repairs were carried out on three 630 KVA, five 500 KVA and five 250 KVA transformers installed across the Steel Township. Maintenance work, including repair and circuit modification of the crane main contactor at Intake Well-1, was also completed successfully.

In line with RSP’s sustainability initiatives, the department installed a 3 KW standalone solar power system at Lagoon Gate along with LT cable connectivity from Tarakera Pump House. It also installed 46 solar street lights at various locations in the peripheral and slum areas of Rourkela, promoting clean energy while improving public safety.

Through these initiatives, the Electrical Section has strengthened the township’s power infrastructure, enhanced system reliability, ensured uninterrupted power supply and advanced the use of renewable energy.

In his address, Mr. Verma stressed upon the need of implementation of the Official Language (Rajbhasha) in daily official functions, documentation, and communication. He urged all departments to adopt bilingual/trilingual communications in accordance with the prescribed guidelines.  The Executive Directors gave suggestions regarding enhancing use of Rajbhasha in more official communications.

The session comprised a brief presentation by Ms. Lolati Toppo, AGM (PR-Rajbhasha) on the activities of Rajbhasha Department. Ms. Archana Satpathy, GM (PR) & CoC and Member Secretary (OLIC) elaborated on the various check points pertaining to implementation of Rajbhasha.