Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday dedicated to the nation and laid the foundation stones of multiple projects worth Rs 20,000 crore at Chandikhole in Odisha. The PM also flagged off three new trains between Puri and Anand Vihar terminal, Paradip and Kendujhargarh and a container train from MMLP Jajpur to ICD Dadri, Uttar Pradesh.
During the inauguration, PM Modi remembered Biju Patnaik on his birth anniversary, and said, “Foundation stones for projects worth Rs 20,000 crore have been laid. Be it projects linked to petroleum, natural gas, or nuclear energy or linked to railway and road connectivity, they will help augment the industrial activities and create employment opportunities here.
Odisha's future, our priority
“There is such a government in the centre that not only thinks about the present but also works for the future with the Viksit Bharat Sankalp. In the energy sector, we are increasing the capabilities of the eastern states. For the supply of natural gas, big projects are underway in five states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Odisha. The Paradip-Somnathpur and Haldia pipelines have been dedicated to the nation. Today, a natural gas processing unit has also been inaugurated at Paradip Refinery. A Mono Ethylene Glycol plant has also been inaugurated at the Refinery. With this, a new revolution will be witnessed in the polyester industry. The textile parks coming up at Bhadrak and Paradip will also get raw materials easily,” he said.
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Big projects completed
Modi also did not miss the opportunity to tear into the past governments. He said, “The earlier governments were not interested in completing the projects. But our government tries to complete the projects for which foundation stones are being laid. Discussions about the Paradip refinery started in 2002. But nothing was done in this regard till 2013-14. It is our government that has completed the project.”
“The rich mineral deposits in Odisha are being used for the development. Today, the foundation stone for a desalination plant was laid. With this, Odisha’s thousands of people will be benefited. With the help of this project, 50,00,000 litres of saline water will be converted into drinking water,” he said.
The central government is also laying emphasis on modern connectivity so that Odisha gets more industrial growth. In the last 10 years, we have laid down about 3,000 kilometers of national highways in the state. We have also increased the railway budget 12 times. For the development of Odisha, the central government will continue to work at this speed, he added.
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Naveen heaps praise
On this occasion, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik heaped praise on the Prime Minister. Expressing gratitude for gifting several projects to Odisha; he said, “PM Modi has given a new growth trajectory to the Indian economy, which is going to be the second largest economy. I request PM's cooperation for Odisha's development."