Bhubaneswar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid foundation stones for a host of projects worth Rs 14,523 crore besides dedicating the new campus of IIT Bhubaneswar to the nation during his one-day visit to the State on Monday.
At the IIT Bhubaneswar campus, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of the campus of Indian Institute of Science and Education Research (IISER) in Berhampur through videoconferencing. This project will come up at a projected cost of Rs 1,583 crore.
The Prime Minister also declared Buxi Jagabandhu chair (research laboratory) in Utkal University open and dedicated new 100-bed upgraded ward of ESIC Hospital in Bhubaneswar to people of Odisha. He also opened the archaeological museum at Lalitgiri in Cuttack district through videoconferencing. Lalitgiri in Odisha is a famous Buddhist centre of archaeological importance, comprising Stupa, Viharas (monasteries) and images of Lord Buddha.
Modi also released a postage stamp and a commemorative coin on the bicentenary of 1817 Paika Rebellion at IIT.
Besides this, the Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of a gas pipeline from Paradip to Hyderabad at a projected cost of Rs 3,800 crore and another pipeline from Angul to Bokaro in Jharkhand at a projected cost of Rs 3,437 crore under the Urja Ganja Yojana.
The PM also laid the foundation stone of a six-lane stretch on the National Highway-16 at a cost of Rs 2,200 crore and four-lane stretch of National Highway-4 between Cuttack and Angul. He launched all the new projects and laid foundation stones for other initiatives through videoconferencing at the IIT campus.
Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said that the total worth of projects which were either inaugurated, or for which the foundation stone was laid today, is over Rs 14,000 crore.
“The Central Government aims to develop eastern India as the gateway to South-East Asia. The IIT Bhubaneswar would spur the industrial development of Odisha, and work towards technology to improve the lives of the people,” said the Prime Minister, reiterating the Central Government’s commitment towards the all-round development of Odisha.
Governor Ganeshi Lal, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Union Ministers Jual Oram and Dharmendra Pradhan and Bhubaneswar MP Prasanna Patsani were also present.
