Prez Pranab begins two-day Odisha visit

President Pranab Mukherjee today arrived here on a two-day visit to Odisha and immediately left for the holy town of Puri where he would spend the night at the Raj Bhavan.
Odisha Governor S C Jamir, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, city Mayor Ananta N Jena and other dignitaries received the President as his airforce flight landed at the Biju Patnaik Airport here.
Mukherjee, who was scheduled to reach here at 4.35 pm, landed 10 minutes ahead of time and flew straight to Puri by helicopter. The President is likely to pay a visit to the sand art created by Sudarshan Patnaik at the sea beach.

The President is scheduled to visit Jagannath temple in Puri and the convocation ceremonies of IIT-Bhubaneswar and Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan (BVB)tomorrow here.
Meanwhile,the state government has directed Sri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) to keep all arrangements in place in order to ensure a hassle free visit for the President.
"This time we will ensure that only the required officers and priests remain near the President. All arrangements have been made to welcome him," said temple's chief administrator Arvind Padhee.

"The SJTA will present a Pattachitra of Kanchi Abhiyan to the President as memento. A holy flag will also be offered to the deities in the name of the President," Padhee said.

As the President's last visit witnessed a controversy over his family priests in the temple, the SJTA has sought the advice of the President whether he required a servitor to escort him in the temple.
About 40 platoons (about 1200 personnel) of police force and 501 officers are likely to be assigned for security of the President in Bhubaneswar. Similarly, 22 platoons of force and 50 officers would be deployed at Puri.