Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has laid the foundation stone of the tribal market at Adivasi Ground, Unit I area on Wednesday with an aim to provide the tribals an integrated platform where they can showcase their products.

With setting up of a permanent tribal market in the heart of the city, the people of Bhubaneswar can buy the tribal products all the time.

The market will be built in an area of around 5.5 acres at total expenses of Rs 10 crore. The project will be completed by March 2020.

The market complex will be built facilitating the tribals to sell and showcase their products for livelihoods. They will avail all the facilities here that are provided to other tribals across the State, said the Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes Development Minister Ramesh Chandra Majhi.

Initially, the Government will sanction Rs 4 crore for the project. The remaining Rs 6 crore will be spent in phases.

A tender in this regard will be invited soon. The Tribal Haat will be completed within one year of the beginning of the tender process, the Minister said.