FM Sitharaman Plants Sapling at RBI's Khordha Data Centre
Synopsis
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman planted a sapling at the RBI's Greenfield Data Centre and Training Institute in Khordha, Odisha, under PM Modi's Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam initiative, ahead of the facility's inauguration by the Prime Minister.
Key Takeaways
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman planted a sapling at the RBI Greenfield Data Centre and Training Institute in Khordha, Odisha on 25 October 2026 .
The planting was done under PM Narendra Modi 's Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam tree-plantation campaign, launched in 2024 .
The RBI facility in Khordha is set to be formally inaugurated by PM Modi .
The project reflects the RBI 's strategy to geographically diversify its critical technology infrastructure beyond Mumbai .
The facility will serve as both a data centre and a training institute for financial-sector capacity building.
A green gesture marked the run-up to a milestone in India's financial infrastructure. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman planted a sapling at the Reserve Bank of India's upcoming Greenfield Data Centre and Training Institute in Khordha, Odisha on Sunday, October 25, 2026, ahead of the facility's formal inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The sapling was planted under PM Modi's #EkPedhMaaKeNaam ('One Tree in Mother's Name') initiative — a nationwide tree-plantation drive launched in 2024 that asks citizens and institutions alike to plant trees as a tribute to their mothers and to the environment.
Why Khordha, and Why It Matters
The RBI has been steadily diversifying its critical technology assets beyond its traditional base in Mumbai, part of a broader push for operational resilience in India's central banking architecture. Khordha, located in Odisha, represents exactly that geographic spread — placing sensitive financial data infrastructure away from any single urban concentration. The Greenfield Data Centre and Training Institute is designed to serve both as a digital backbone for central-bank operations and as a capacity-building hub for financial-sector professionals.Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam: Sustainability Woven Into Infrastructure
The symbolic planting is not incidental. Successive central governments have made a consistent practice of pairing environmental gestures with the rollout of large public infrastructure projects, linking sustainability messaging to inauguration moments. The Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign, driven from the Prime Minister's office, has drawn participation from ministries, public-sector institutions, and private citizens since its 2024 launch. The Finance Ministry's participation at the RBI site signals the breadth the campaign is designed to project. With the formal inauguration by PM Modi imminent, attention now turns to what the Khordha facility will mean for the long-term architecture of India's financial data security and central-bank training capacity — a question the sapling in the ground will long outlive.Point of View
Not an afterthought. For the RBI, the Khordha facility marks a tangible step in reducing systemic concentration risk in its digital operations. The convergence of green symbolism with hard infrastructure investment reflects the current government's preference for bundling narrative themes — sustainability, digital resilience, and regional development — into a single moment.
NationPress
25 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the RBI Greenfield Data Centre in Khordha, Odisha?
The RBI Greenfield Data Centre and Training Institute in Khordha, Odisha is a new facility being developed by the Reserve Bank of India to strengthen its digital infrastructure and provide training for financial-sector professionals. It is part of the RBI's effort to diversify its technology assets beyond Mumbai.
What is the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam initiative?
Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam ('One Tree in Mother's Name') is a nationwide tree-plantation campaign launched by PM Narendra Modi in 2024 , encouraging individuals and institutions to plant trees as a tribute to their mothers and as a step towards environmental awareness.
Who will inaugurate the RBI Data Centre in Khordha?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to formally inaugurate the RBI Greenfield Data Centre and Training Institute in Khordha, Odisha .
Why did Nirmala Sitharaman plant a sapling at the RBI site?
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman planted a sapling at the RBI site in Khordha as part of PM Modi 's Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign, ahead of the facility's inauguration. It is a ceremonial gesture linking the infrastructure event with the government's environmental initiative.
Why is the RBI building a data centre in Odisha?
The RBI is building the Khordha facility as part of its strategy to geographically diversify critical technology infrastructure beyond its Mumbai base, improving operational resilience for India's central banking system.
