Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated the Reserve Bank of India’s ₹169-crore data centre and Cybersecurity Training Institute in Odisha's Bhubaneswar.
Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, RBI governor Sanjay Malhotra, Odisha governor Brajmohan Ram, chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Union tribal affairs minister Jual Oram, and deputy CMs Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo and Pravati Parida were also present, according to news agency PTI.
Addressing the inaugural event, PM Modi said, "These new RBI facilities also reflect a new priority for India. Eastern India is emerging as a strong growth engine for Viksit Bharat. Since the formation of the double-engine government in Odisha, development has gained new momentum."
{{/usCountry}}Addressing the inaugural event, PM Modi said, "These new RBI facilities also reflect a new priority for India. Eastern India is emerging as a strong growth engine for Viksit Bharat. Since the formation of the double-engine government in Odisha, development has gained new momentum."
{{/usCountry}}"Wars are being fought not only conventionally but also by attacking economies; need to protect India's banking system from cyber terrorists," the PM said.
RBI's data centre and Cybersecurity Training Institute - Check details
Spread across 18.55 acres at Info Valley-II in Jatni, the RBI facility had its foundation stone laid by then governor Shaktikanta Das on March 22, 2023.
According to an official statement, the data centre will host mission-critical payment and settlement systems, along with other flagship initiatives.
"It will contribute to widening the reach, efficiency and reliability of digital financial services, and will form the secure digital foundation on which India's increasingly technology-driven financial economy can grow," the statement from the Prime Minister's Office dated October 24 read.
The Cybersecurity Training Institute, meanwhile, will focus on capability building, providing an institutional platform for cybersecurity and enterprise-technology training, research, and sector-wide capability development, the statement added.
PM Modi in Odisha
The Prime Minister landed at Biju Patnaik International Airport at 4:15 pm aboard a special Indian Air Force aircraft. From the airport, he took a helicopter to Khurda, and then proceeded to the RBI facility, PTI reported.
Security arrangements had been made by police, with around 2,100 personnel deployed for the visit, according to officials cited in the report.
Traffic restrictions have also been imposed in the city from 5:40 pm to 6:40 pm along the route connecting the RBI data centre to the airport.
CM Majhi on data centre
Odisha CM Majhi, in an X post on Saturday, said, "Another new chapter will be added to Odisha's journey of development. The visit of the Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji to Odisha and the inauguration of RBI's state-of-the-art Data Centre will not only strengthen the state's digital infrastructure but also give new momentum to the security of the country's financial data and the growth of the digital economy."
He further added, "The RBI Data Centre’s success will be measured not just by its inauguration, but by its long-term impact on digital infrastructure, financial data security, and public benefit."
(with inputs from PTI)