Jajpur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday launched multiple development projects worth over Rs19,600 crore in Odisha’s Jajpur district.
“Our government works for the present as well as for the future, with the aim of a ‘Viksit Bharat’ (developed India),” the PM said during a programme here.
Modi said the BJP-led central government is committed to the development of eastern India, which is filled with natural resources.
The projects that were launched are related to different sectors, including Oil & Gas, Railways, Road, Transport & Highways and Atomic Energy.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Bishweswar Tudu were also present on the occasion.
Modi also paid tribute to former Odisha Chief Minister Biju Patnaik on his birth anniversary.
The PM said the Union government has constructed an additional 3,000-kilometer national highway in the state and increased Odisha’s rail allocation by 12 times since 2014.
“We have completed many projects that remained incomplete for years. The Paradip Refinery project is one such instance of negligence by the previous government,” he said.
The projects inaugurated by the PM include the Indian Oil Corporation’s mono ethylene glycol facility at the Paradip Refinery, which will further help in reducing India’s import dependency, a 344-kilometer product pipeline from Paradip to Haldia in West Bengal, and a 0.6-MMTPA LPG import facility at Paradip.
Modi also dedicated to the nation four-laning of the Singhara-Binjabahal section of National Highway-49, four-laning of the Binjabahal-Tileibani section of NH-49, four-laning of the Balasore-Jharpokharia section of NH-18 and four-laning of the Tangi-Bhubaneswar section of NH-16.
The PM also laid the foundation of the eight-laning of Chandikhole-Paradip Road.
As part of the railway network’s expansion, the PM launched the 162 kilometer Bansapani-Daitari-Tomka-Jakhapura rail line.
“It will not only enhance the existing capacity, but also facilitate efficient transportation of iron and manganese ore from Keonjhar to the nearest ports and steel plants, significantly contributing to regional economic growth,” an official statement said.
A Container Corporation of India Limited (CONCOR) container depot in Kalinga Nagar was also inaugurated by Modi.
Besides, he laid the foundation of an electric loco periodical overhauling workshop at Narla, a wagon periodical overhauling workshop at Kantabanji and upgradation and augmentation of maintenance facilities at Baghuapal.
Modi also inaugurated a five megaliters per day (MLD) seawater desalination plant at Odisha Sands Complex of Indian Rare Earths Ltd. “It has been built as a part of field applications of indigenous desalination technologies developed by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre,” the statement said.
PTI
