Bhubaneswar: After drawing a lot of attention for its recent efforts to develop certain centres of religious and tourist importance like Puri, the Odisha government is drawing plans to give a facelift to villages of historical and cultural significance in the state.
On Sunday, coinciding with Republic Day celebrations, secretary to Chief Minister (transformation & initiatives; popularly known as 5T), V K Pandian visited Suando, the birthplace of Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das, in Puri district to assess ground realities and requirements to develop the village.
Puri collector Balwant Singh accompanied him.
Gopabandhu (1877- 1928) was a social worker, writer, political leader and journalist who left an indelible mark on the minds of crores of people in Odisha .
The visit comes quick on the heels of the Naveen Patnaik government unveiling plans to beautify and develop Jagannath Temple in Puri; Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneswar and Sun Temple at Konark and Baladebjew Temple in Kendrapada and upgrade SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack into a ‘world-class institution’.
Official sources said the government, under its 5T initiatives, now aims to develop infrastructure of villages which are birthplaces of legends, freedom fighters and statesmen to not only convert those into places of tourist interest but also instill of sense of Odia identity and pride among the natives.
This is in tune with the ruling BJD’s strategy to appropriate the legends and statesmen of Odisha to consolidate its position as one of the strongest regional parties of India. It has earlier rolled out various schemes like Gopabandhu Grameen Yojana and Madhusudan Old Age Pension Yojana as a tribute to the contributions of these great men.
