Bhubaneswar, March 5 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation multiple development projects worth around Rs 19,600 crores during a programme at Chandikhole in Jajpur district.
The projects were related to different sectors including oil & gas, railways, road, transport & highways and atomic energy.
PM Modi indicated towards the efforts being made to enhance the capabilities of the Eastern states in the energy sector. He stated that major projects are underway for the supply of natural gas in five big states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha under the Urja Ganaga Yojana.
PM Modi inaugurated a 344 km long product pipeline from Paradip in Odisha to Haldia in West Bengal, Indian Oil Corporation Limited’s Mono Ethylene Glycol project in Paradip Refinery and 0.6 MMTPA LPG Import facility at Paradip which will bring a revolutionary change in the polyester industry of eastern India.
PM Modi said that this will also provide raw materials to the textile parks in Bhadrak and Paradip.
Drawing comparisons, PM Modi stated that the previous governments never took interest in completing the development projects while the present government inaugurates the very projects on time whose foundation stones were laid by it.
He said that the working culture in India has changed with the BJP government coming to power in 2014.
He mentioned the Paradip Refinery which became a topic of discussion in 2002 but no work was accomplished until the present government came to power in 2014.
PM Modi also highlighted the efforts of the central government in making use of the abundance of natural resources in Eastern India for the development of Odisha and spoke about the desalination plant in Ganjam district that will treat almost 50 lakh litres of saline water every day and make it suitable for drinking.
PM Modi said that the central government is focusing on modern connectivity in Odisha so that local resources can be utilized for the growth of Odisha’s economy.
The Prime Minister said that in the last 10 years, 3000 km long national highways have been constructed in Odisha while the railway budget has been increased 12-fold during the period.
He also mentioned inaugurating the Paradip - Hyderabad Pipeline in Sangareddy, Telangana yesterday and the 500 km long crude oil pipeline from Haldia to Barauni in Arambagh, West Bengal three days ago.
Governor of Odisha, Raghubar Das, Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik and Union Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan were also present on the occasion.
Chief Minister Patnaik thanked PM Modi for his focus on the development of Odisha. He said that Odisha is fast becoming a major manufacturing hub of Eastern India. He also sought the support of PM Modi in the endeavour of 4.5 crore people of Odisha for the development of the state.
