Post News Network
Dhenkanal, Feb 14: All-round development of people in the state, especially improvement of economic well-being of the poor, has been a priority area of the state government, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said here Saturday.
Inaugurating a host of projects,
including a two-day Dhokra festival at the mini-stadium here, Patnaik said the state government has taken several steps to
promote handicrafts and all other indigenous craft. The government has achieved progress on several fronts such as agriculture, education, health,
infrastructure and women’s empowerment, the CM said, adding this has
catapulted Orissa into a league of high-achieving states in the country.
The government has already brought under irrigation 54 per cent of the farm land while the facility will be extended to 10 lakh more hectares over the next five years, he said. The CM complimented the farmers for consistently raising the total agricultural output of the state.
Patnaik said the government has
extended health insurance to farmers and loans at low interest rates are being made available to them.
Under the Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana aimed at converting kuccha houses in the state into pucca ones within five years, the government has set a target to build 25 lakh pucca houses, the CM said, adding 3 crore people in the state will be brought under the National Food Security Act.
Speaking at the meet, Dhenkanal MP Tathagata Satpathy said people of Delhi, which is called a ‘Mini India’, have proved that the future of India does not rest with Narendra Damodardas Modi.
People thinking on secular lines and with love for the poor can only take up leadership of Orissa. He said unlike most politicians, the Chief Minister never speaks ill of anybody and works tirelessly to wipe out tears from the eyes of the poor.
He lambasted the Centre, saying the Chief Minister had ensured 25-kg of rice for the poor while it has been brought down to just 5-kg by people who wear suits worth `11 lakh. Parjang MLA Nrusingha Charan Sahoo, Hindol MLA Seemarani Naik, Dhenkanal MLA Saroj Kumar Samal and ZP president Binodini Samal also attended the meet.
The CM unveiled a number of projects in the district, including a resource and training centre, an academic building of the government polytechnic, buildings of the Dhenkanal women’s college,
district employment exchange,
a general nursing and midwife school and a GNM hostel. The Chief Minister also inaugurated an approach road to Dhenkanal Autonomous College besides a 200-seated girls hostel in Kamakhya Nagar and a 100-seated girls hostel at Patrabhag village.
