Bhubaneswar: The much awaited decision to locate the Western Odisha Development Council (WODC) head quarter in western Odisha would be taken soon after the Covid-19 pandemic situation became normal.

The State labour minister who is also a prominent leader of western Odisha, Sushant Singh, said that the WODC HQ will be shifted to western Odisha. He said that discussion with MLAs of western Odisha has been completed about the location of the WODC HQ. Soon after the Covid-19 lock down a decision regarding location of the head office of the Council will be taken, he added.

Established on 11th November 1998, the Western Odisha Development Council was supposed to bring development in 10 backward districts of western part of the State.

The Council, which has 26 members including the chairman, is functioning with its head quarter at State capital of Bhubaneswar. Several attempts to shift the head quarter to some city or town of western Odisha had failed due to lack concensus among the leaders of western Odisha. While some wanted it in Sambalpur, a prominent city in western Odisha, others pitch for Bolangir, a place represented by strong political leaders.