Bhubaneswar: A branch of Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS), Bhubaneswar, a residential institute which has accommodated 25,000 tribal students here, will be set up in Maharashtra shortly.

The new institute will be known as Lions Choice KISS Residential School and it will work for the welfare of poor underprivileged tribal children of the state.

The foundation stone-laying ceremony was held on Sunday at Jambha village in Vikramgad Taluka of Palghar district, located just 100km from Mumbai.

The school is likely to start functioning from the next academic session. "Palghar is primarily tribal-dominated district, where the young boys and girls don't have access to good schools and are deprived of quality education. To address this challenge, we will start an institute in Mumbai," said founder of Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences Achyuta Samanta.

The institute of social sciences will start its branch in collaboration with Lions Mumbai Choice Foundation under the leadership of Sunil Patodia, district governor, 3231, Lions Club. The infrastructure and establishment cost will be borne by the foundation at an initial investment of 60 crore. About 5000 underprivileged boys and girls will get a new life through the free residential school.

Samanta said: "Since the past five years, I have been planning to open a branch of KISS for the underprivileged children in Maharashtra. Finally, my long-cherished dream of empowering more such children is coming true."

Apart from this, Samanta also inaugurated a community toilet complex at Vartak Asahat village.

This apart two international branches of KISS will start at Dhaka and Jessore in Bangladesh, the foundation stone for which was laid in January this year. The institute will also open a branch in Rourkela and branches of the institute will be set up in six other districts of the state.