Shri Narendra Modi, visited Odisha on 24th December ahead of the upcoming Odisha election. He was addressing a BJP rally in Khurda town. He talked about his agendas and plans for Odisha’s future. Following are the major takeaways from his visit:
- On 24th December 2018, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi visited Odisha.
- At the IIT Bhubaneswar campus, Modi released a stamp and coin in commemoration of the Paika Rebellion, which was fought against the British in 1817 in Odisha.
- The Prime Minister announced the establishment of an IISER (Indian Institute of Science Education and Research) in Berhampur, at an estimated cost of Rupees 1600 crores. Furthermore, he dedicated the IIT Bhubaneswar campus to the nation, and said that the institute would spur technological development throughout the State.
- The Prime Minister also inaugurated the Lalitgiri museum. Lalitgiri is a place of archaeological importance, comprising of Buddhist stupas, monasteries and images of the Lord Buddha.
- The Prime Minister also spoke about the plans to expand the healthcare, road network, and oil infrastructure network in Odisha, and how over 1100 centres of public healthcare being built under the Ayushman Bharat scheme would transform Odisha into an affordable healthcare State.
- Laying the foundation stone and highlighting the Paradip-Hyderabad pipeline project as an exemplar in oil and gas infrastructure, the PM said that it would bring a lot of opportunities for the youth of the State- and make Odisha a hub of petroleum projects.
- Modi announced the setting up of the Bakshi Deebandhu Chair on Paika Rebellion at Utkal University, Bhubaneswar. The Chair is to research on all nationalist movements, which includes the Paika Rebellion.
- A new ESIC hospital in Bhubaneswar was also announced.
The Prime Minister revealed that the total value of all projects, which were either inaugurated that day, or whose foundation stone was laid on the day of his visit (24th December), would be approximately around Rs. 14,000 crores.