Bhawanipatna/Nuapada: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Wednesday laid the foundation stones of several projects aimed at development of the state’s tribal region, including the much-awaited medical college in Kalahandi district.
Patnaik laid the foundation stone of the medical college at Bhangabari in Bhawanipatna, the district headquarters town of Kalahandi.
Addressing a public meeting, the Chief Minister said the state government is keen to bring Kalahandi on par with other developed districts. “Our government is sincere for the backward regions and deprived class. For development of tribal pockets we have appealed to the central government for special funding,” Patnaik said.
He expressed pleasure that Vedanta Foundation has extended financial support for the establishment of the medical college and to build its infrastructure.
The construction work for it started Wednesday and would be completed by 2017-18, the Chief Minister said.
Patnaik also inaugurated a project for augmentation of water supply from Hati river to Bhawanipatna town for the benefit 80,000 people, a 33/11 KV grid sub-station near Kusa Dangri in Bhawanipatna, an additional workshop of the government ITI in the town and three mini-stadiums – at Dasi Gaon under Junagarh block, Utkella of Kesinga block and at Kesinga NAC.
He also inaugurated two girls’ hostels at Parmandpur and Kusurla for vocational training.
Besides, Patnaik laid the foundation stone for 300-seat boys and girls hostel building of the Autonomous Government College at Bhawanipatna and construction of new town hall here as well as construction of 26 lift irrigation projects at Narla, M Rampur and Karlamunda blocks.
He also flagged off a mobile health unit and Innovative Auto Bike Ambulances for the poor people of Kalahandi.
Earlier, Patnaik laid the foundation stone for an integrated Para Boiled rice mill, a 2/3 MW cogeneration biomass power plant and a distillery unit at Gour Sargiguda to be set up by a private company.
Meanwhile, a report from Nuapada said police detained 22 Congress workers and four BJP workers while they were trying to show black flags to the Chief Minister during his visit to the district headquarters of Nuapada and Khariar Wednesday.
The party workers were later released. However, Congress workers alleged that the police brutally beat up protesting party workers and rendered them critical. PNN
