Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated multiple development projects worth over Rs 60,000 crore in Odisha’s Jharsuguda district and launched BSNL’s indigenous 4G services, highlighting the state’s rapid progress under a “double engine” of development.
Addressing the gathering, PM Modi said Odisha is moving ahead with new projects spanning telecommunications, railways, higher education, healthcare, skill development, and rural housing. He also announced approval for two new semiconductor units in the state.
“Odisha has started advancing at the speed of a double engine. Work on projects worth thousands of crores has begun, and BSNL’s indigenous 4G services have been launched,” PM Modi said.
The Prime Minister emphasized the government’s focus on providing basic facilities to the poor, Dalits, backward classes, and tribals, noting that nearly 50,000 pucca houses have been approved for vulnerable families under the Antyodaya Gruha Yojana.
“When a poor family gets a pucca house, the lives of future generations become easier. Across India, our government has provided houses to over 4 crore families. In Odisha too, thousands of houses are being constructed,” he added.
Highlighting India’s push for self-reliance, PM Modi spoke about the government’s recent Rs 70,000 crore shipbuilding package and its significance for trade, technology, and national security.
During the event, PM Modi also laid foundation stones for:
- Rail Flyover at Sambalpur-Sarla
- Doubling of Koraput-Baiguda line
- Manabar-Koraput-Gorapur line
- Expansion of eight IITs, creating capacity for 10,000 new students
He flagged off the Amrit Bharat Express between Berhampur and Udhna (Surat), enhancing inter-state connectivity, tourism, and local employment. In healthcare, he laid the foundation for upgrading MKCG Medical College (Berhampur) and VIMSAR (Sambalpur) into world-class super-speciality hospitals, featuring expanded bed capacity, trauma care units, dental colleges, maternal and child care facilities, and academic infrastructure.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi praised PM Modi for initiatives like the Subhadra Yojana, benefiting over 1 crore women with Rs 10,000 annually, and for supporting strategic development across Odisha.
The event saw virtual participation from Chief Ministers of eight states, including Maharashtra, Assam, and Uttar Pradesh, along with several Union Cabinet ministers.
