Bhubaneswar: Final touches are being given to the arrangements for the mega event at Janata Maidan in Bhubaneswar where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to launch Odisha government’s ambitious Subhadra Yojana on September 17.
Amid hectic preparations, steps have been taken for throwing a thick security blanket around Janata Maidan with the deployment of over 50 platoons of police force, while around 150 officers are monitoring the arrangements.
As part of the preparations, Chief secretary Manoj Ahuja and DGP Y B Khurania have already reviewed the security arrangements for the visit of the PM. Officials of the elite Special Protection Group (SPG) have also reviewed the security measures being taken. They have held discussion with Odisha officials regarding the arrangements.
A senior police official said that 50 officers have been entrusted with overseeing security and crowd control, while several LED televisions will be put up at selected locations in the city for people to watch the event.
There will be adequate police deployment at the airport and along the route to Janata Maidan, where the launch event will take place. The route from Biju Patnaik International Airport to Janata Maidan will be barricaded. For traffic management and parking, special care is being taken, according to DCP Prateek Singh.
“Arrangements are being made for traffic movement, route lining, deployment of security personnel and security of VIPs and guests,” Commissioner of Police Sanjeeb Panda said.
Bomb disposal squads have been deployed to conduct checking at the venue at regular intervals.
A temporary police control room has also been opened at the venue.
The eight-member SPG team is busy strategising security measures ahead of Modi’s visit. Police anticipate a huge crowd at Janata Maida and additional women officers are also likely to be deployed at the venue since there will be more woman attendees.
Regarding infrastructure being erected at the venue, Principal Secretary of Industries department Hemant Sharma told the media that extra attention is being given to put in place a safe and hazard-free set up at Janata Maidan for the PM’s event.
“Work is progressing in full swing and the entire infrastructure will be ready by tomorrow,” Sharma said, adding that PM’s programme will be for around two hours and the department of Women and Child Development is coordinating arrangements for the event.
Notably, this is going to be Modi’s first visit after the BJP ministry took oath. The swearing in ceremony had been attended by him and a battery of BJP leaders.
Subhadra Yojana is Mohan Majhi govt’s biggest flagship scheme which aims to financially empower more than one crore woman. The govt has already prepared a standard operating procedure (SOP) to implement the scheme.
Under the scheme, eligible beneficiaries will get Rs 5,000 each on Rakhi Purnima and International Women’s Day. This way an eligible woman beneficiary will get Rs 50,000 in five years.
This apart, the Prime Minister is also slated to lay foundation stones and dedicate to the nation several railway and national highway projects worth Rs 3800 crore.
