Sambalpur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid foundation stone of 18 projects in education, railway, roads, energy and other sectors here during his one-day visit to Odisha on Saturday.
“It’s a very significant day, today, for the Vikas Yatra of Odisha. I heartily congratulate the people of Odisha for the developmental projects worth around Rs. 70,000 crore dedicated to their state which will help people from all sections of the society and create employment opportunities for the youths,” the PM said.
He further said that continuous efforts have been made to transformation Odisha into an important centre of education, and skill development, while referring to setting up of institutes like IISER Berhampur and Bhubaneshwar’s Institute of Chemical Technology in the last decade. “I laid the foundation stone of IIM, Sambalpur, three years ago during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite hurdles, the campus is ready now. I also want appreciate those involved in the project,” he said.
The Prime Minister said that Odisha has seen an investment of Rs 1.25 lakh crore in petroleum and petrochemical sector in the last 10 years. “The size of allocations for development of railway sector in the state has increased 12 times. Around 50,000 km roads have been laid in rural areas under Pradhan Mantri Sadak Yojana and over 4000-km new national highways have been constructed in the state,” he said, while taking about three transformative highway projects, which he dedicated to the nation on the occasion.
He informed that interstate connectivity between Odisha and Jharkhand would reduce along with traveling distance.
The Prime Minister further said that Odisha has benefitted from the policies formulated by the Centre in the last 10 years. “The state revenues have improved by 10 times on the back of reforms in the coal and mining sectors. Earlier, benefits of mineral production were not available to those areas and states where mining took place and this issue was addressed with the formation of the District Mineral Foundation which ensured investments in the development of the same area from income received through mining. Odisha has so far received more than Rs 25,000 crores and the money is being used for the welfare of the people in the area where mining is taking place.”
He also touched upon the doubling of Sambalpur-Talcher rail section and the inauguration of new rail line from Jhar-Tarbha to Sonpur section. “Sonepur district will now be connect through Puri-Sonpur Express making it easier for devotees to visit the Shree Jagannath Temple,” he said.
PM Modi said that the supercritical and ultra-supercritical thermal plants, which he inaugurated, will ensure adequate and affordable electricity for every family in Odisha.
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Concluding the address, the Prime Minister assured the people of Odisha that the central government will continue to work for the development of the state with the same dedicated spirit.
