At the end of April the 24th diocese of the Church of North India was inaugurated. The Diocese of Phulbani was inaugurated by the Most Revd D K Mohanty, Moderator of the CNI.
Nearly 15,000 people came to see the inauguration which took place at Udayagiri. The new diocese was formed out of Cuttack Diocese to serve the Kond Hills of Orissa.