Odisha To Be Centre Of Next Wave Of Connectivity, Says Dharmendra Pradhan

Bhubaneswar: Odisha will be the epicentre of next wave of connectivity to restore its historical glory, said Union Minister of Education, Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday.

Inaugurating the two-day international conference on “Purvodaya Perspectives: Reflections on Regional Connectivity” in Bhubaneswar, Pradhan highlighted the role of Odisha to drive economic growth and cultural exchange with the world.

“The tradition of Bali Jatra, which is a cultural highpoint of Odisha, indicates the soft power as well as the maritime prowess of ancient Odisha. The Purvodaya policy of government is poised to immensely benefit Odisha and create multilayered economic opportunities in the region,” he said.

“With the aim to create a new economy, we must utilise our natural resources to the fullest, which are forests, seas, and mineral resources to make our nation more resourceful,” he added.

Pradhan further said the people present at the grand event should create a roadmap that will lead towards a brighter and a more developed India. He also spoke about the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Purvodaya and emphasised on the need to strengthen connectivity in the eastern part of India, including the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar as well as route that connects the Ganga ghats in Uttarakhand to Ganga ghats in Kolkata.

He stressed on enhancing connectivity in the regions such as Ganga Sagar, Kalingapatnam and the North-Eastern parts, besides focusing on our neighbouring nations like Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. He stated that connectivity is an integral part of India’s demography in terms of energy, education, telecommunication, and also plays an important role in boosting job opportunities.

Union Minister of State for External Affairs & Parliamentary Affairs V Muraleedharan said the presence of foreign dignitaries from diplomatic, business, and epistemic communities will ensure international collaboration in addressing the challenges and opportunities in regional connectivity. He also said connectivity especially focused on Act East is one of the keystones of the Central government.

The conference was organised by The Energy Forum (TEF) in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and with the support of the Ministry of External Affairs.

Eminent personalities including Mustafizur Rahman, High Commissioner of Bangladesh; Saurabh Kumar, Secretary East (MEA), President, DG and senior officials from CII, Anil Kakodkar, and Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, CII were also present.

Sidharth Pradhan, Trustee, The Energy Forum delivered the welcome speech and Shri Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, CII, conveyed the objective of Industry Perspectives on Purvodaya and Connectivity. A book titled “India’s Energy Transition: A road map across the sector” was released on the occasion. MoUs (MSDE SSCs & CII/Industry) were also signed.