Bhawanipatna: Speakers appreciated the district's rich culture during the closing ceremony of the Lok Kala Mahotsav here.

The curtains fell on the two-day Lok Kala Mahotsav organised by the Kalahandi district administration on Sunday evening. Speaking on the occasion, energy and labour minister Sushant Singh said Kalahandi had earned a special place in the world of art and culture.

"Kalahandi has always amused me as far as art and culture are concerned. The district's culture has crossed the borders of Odisha and India and made and impact around the globe," he said.

Singh said music and dance such has ghumura - a folk art form of the district - had travelled length and breadth around the globe. "Ghumura has won hearts abroad and the people of Kalahnadi should feel proud."

He also announced that the 220KV power grid project at Kesinga would be functional within the next six months. "The 220KV power grid, constructed by Odisha Power Transmission Corporation Limited, will be functional within the next six months," Singh said.

Kalahandi collector Anjan Kumar Manik, who presided over the event, said it was a fine initiative on part of the state to organise such programmes. "Such events bring forth the unsung heroes from remote areas," he said.

Earlier on Sunday, there was a competition among folk troupes that had come from different blocks of the district. Maa Jagajjanani Ghumura Group of Jayapatna block, Maa Dharani Dhaap Troupe of Lanjigarh, Banabadi by Brundaban Bihari and Friends from Junagarh, Bajasal of Rhythm Dance Academy of Jayapatna won prizes at the competition.

Kurukshetra Biswal of Jayapatna was awarded the best singer award during the event while the award for best nishan player went to Jaleswar Deep, Jaya Baba and Rabi Das.