Baripada: Ahead of general elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday launched a slew of projects worth `4,500 crore here in Mayurbhanj district and hit out at the Congress party accusing it of working at the behest of middlemen in defence sector.
This is the second visit of the Prime Minister to Odisha within a fortnight. During his visit to state December 24, he had unveiled several projects worth `14,500 crore. Modi also promised to visit Odisha once again with a basket of more development projects.
Modi unveiled a digital plaque to mark beginning of conservation of Rasika Ray temple and excavation of ancient Haripurgarh and laid the stone for three national highway projects online.
He dedicated to the nation Balasore-Haldia-Durgapur section of Paradip-Haldia-Durgapur LPG pipeline of IOCL and inaugurated a multi-modal logistic park at Balasore and six passport seva centres at post offices in Bhadrak, Cuttack, Jajpur, Aska, Keonjhar and Dhenkanal through a video conferencing. He also flagged off the second passenger train from Tatanagar to Badampahar. Addressing the gathering on the occasion, he said the Centre has been focusing on infrastructure, which will make a basic difference in the people’s lives. He said the Balasore-Haldia-LPG pipeline, will benefit several families in eight districts of Odisha and Bengal and save transportation cost of fuel and time.
The PM said unprecedented investment is being made in the creation of modern infrastructure and connectivity in India. The enhanced rail connectivity will help movement of people and make mineral resources more accessible to industry.
“The maximum benefit of enhanced infrastructure will go to the middle class, and the medium enterprisers. Modern roads, clean trains and economic air travel will contribute to ease of living for the middle classes,” the Prime Minister said, adding the Centre has tried to reduce difficulties faced by people in obtaining passports. Hence six passport Sewa Kendras are being inaugurated as a step in this direction. He described this as another effort towards “ease of living.”
The Prime Minister said the Centre has been trying to conserve rich heritage in the country. Sites related to faith, spirituality and history; along with knowledge of Yoga and Ayurveda, are being actively promoted. Commencement of work at Rasika Ray temple, and the excavation of Haripurgarh are efforts in this direction, he said.
Addressing a Bharatiya Janata Party rally here, Modi said there was a conspiracy to weaken the country’s defence forces during 2004-2014 and the revelation has now become painful for the Congress leaders.
“Therefore, they want to remove the chowkidar (watchman) from their path. Be it the society or factories, thieves always try to remove the chowkidar to make their task easy. As long as the chowkidar remains, they are unable to operate,’’ he said.
“This pains them (Cong leaders) because their secrecy is now getting leaked out,” Modi said, adding there were reports that a letter of the middleman in AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam, Christian Michel, who has recently been brought to India from Dubai, had revealed they had close ties with top Congress leaders and ministers.
The middleman was also passing on crucial information related to defence, security and weapons procurement abroad, Modi said.
“I cannot understand whether the Congress was running a government or the durbar of its own Michel mama,” Modi said asserting that a probe would be conducted in these matters.
Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan also attacked the state government over various issues. Mayurbhanj MP Ramchandra Hansda is in jail for over four years for his involvement in chit fund scam, he said and asked the Chief Minister to explain his connection with Saroj Sahu, a chit fund scam accused.
