Vatican City, 11 April 2016 – The Holy Father has:

- erected the diocese of Rayagada (area 39,368, population 5,407,894, Catholics 50,542, priest 49, religious 72), India, with territory taken from the diocese of Berhampur, making it a suffragan of the metropolitan see of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar.

- appointed Fr. Aplinar Senapati, C.M., as bishop of the new diocese of Rayagada, India. The bishop-elect was born in Surada, India in 1960, gave his religious vows in 1989 and was ordained a priest in 1990. He holds Master's degrees in economics and philosophy, and has served in a number of roles including parish vicar, teacher, parish priest, and master of novices. He is currently pastor of the St. Vincent De Paul parish and president of the English Medium School in Derapathar, Guwahati.

- appointed Fr. Thomas Paulsamy as bishop of Dindigul (area 6,266, population 2,068,000, Catholics 145,213, priests 163, religious 397), India. The bishop-elect was born in Poolampatty, India in 1951 and was ordained a priest in 1977. He has served in a number of pastoral roles, including parish assistant, parish priest in a several parishes, and vicar general of the diocese of Tiruchirapalli. He is currently parish priest of St. Anthony's Church, Kallukuzhy.