Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], April 13 (ANI): Odisha Assembly Speaker Surama Padhy and Bhubaneswar Mayor Sulochana Das on Monday inaugurated a photo exhibition on the 78th Capital Foundation Day.

Bhubaneswar is celebrating its 78th Capital Foundation Day on April 13. The day commemorates the historic occasion in 1948 when the first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, laid the foundation stone of the city to replace Cuttack as the state's capital.

During the photo exhibition inauguration in Bhubaneswar, State Assembly Speaker Surama Padhy said that the state government 'decided to create a safe environment' for the students who are coming to the city to study.

Speaking to ANI, Surama Padhy said, 'Today, we are celebrating the 78th Foundation Day of the capital of Bhubaneswar. On this occasion, we have decided on how to further develop Bhubaneswar as a green city and also create a safe environment for the students who are coming to the city to study.'

Bhubaneswar Mayor Sulochana Das extended greetings to the residents of Bhubaneswar on the city's foundation day. She urged the citizens that today is a day of celebration, when we should resolve how to make the city climate resilient and sustainable for all.

'I extend greetings to the residents of Bhubaneswar on the city's foundation day. I request the citizens that today is a day of celebration, when we should resolve how to make the city climate resilient and sustainable for all. The temple city has become an education, sports and medical hub today,' Bhubaneswar Mayor told ANI.

She added that the city is progressing towards development and has climbed to rank 9 from rank 134 in the cleanliness index.

'The city is progressing towards development. The city has climbed to rank 9 from rank 134 in the cleanliness index. We aim to take the city rank in the first three spots...' she said.

On 30 September 1946, the Odisha Legislative Assembly passed a unanimous resolution for the construction of the capital at Bhubaneswar. In 1948, the Government of Odisha hired Otto Koenigsberger, a German Jew who had fled from Nazi Germany, to work as the town planner for the capital construction. On 13 April 1949, the foundation stone of the new capital was laid by the then Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. (ANI)