Bhubaneswar, May 20 (IANS): Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday urged Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu to consider a joint working group recommendation and set up an Electric Locomotive Periodic Overhaul (POH) workshop in Kalahandi district.

Patnaik said the government would provide 250 acres of land required to set up the workshop for greater interest of the state. 

The joint working group comprising of Odisha chief secretary and East Coast Railway general manager was tasked to do an analysis of rail based industries.

"I am happy to inform you that the committee has deliberated on various possibilities and based on the actual demand and other economic considerations of Railways it has recommended for setting up an Electric Locomotive Periodic OverHaul (POH) Workshop in Kalahandi district," the chief minister said in a letter to Prabhu.

Patnaik informed this would reduce the cost of having the current 344 Electric locomotives of ECoR being overhauled at far off places in Eastern, South Eastern and Central Railways. 

With the electrification of the entire Sambalpur division, which also serves the Kalahandi district, the demand for Electric Locomotives POH can only grow up, Patnaik said.