BHUBANESWAR: Odisha being prone to tropical cyclone and other natural calamities, Union Minister of State for Shipping, Chemicals and Fertilisers Mansukh L Mandaviya on Monday exhorted the state government to build cyclone resilient infrastructure to save life and property from extreme weather phenomena.
Recounting the extensive destruction caused by the summer cyclone Fani and the generous assistance given by the Centre for reconstruction, the Union Minister said the state needed robust infrastructures to withstand such calamities.
“I expect the Odisha government to develop cyclone-proof infrastructures to tackle calamities of this scale and minimise human casualties. The centre is ready to assist the State in all possible manners,” he said.
Mandaviya, who gave a report card of the first 100 days of the NDA government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s, said the Centre has provided financial assistance of over Rs 16,000 crore during this short duration of time.
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“In first 100 days of Modi 2.0, Odisha received Rs 16,605 crore. While Rs 4,678 crore was released in three phases for restoration works post-Fani, Rs 6,000 crore sanctioned for railway infrastructure and another Rs 5,933 crore was released from CAMPA fund for forest regeneration,” he said.
The Union Minister said the port town of Paradip will be developed as a smart industrial city. Land is being allotted to 3-4 companies and one of them is a wood-based industry which will pave the way for employment generation in the state, he added.
Highlighting the achievements of the Modi government, Mandaviya said the Prime Minister has taken many historic and path-breaking initiatives in the first 100 days.
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Starting from abrogating Article 370 and 35A to enacting laws making triple talaq a criminal offence, merger of banks, providing cooking gas connection to eight crore families under Ujjwala, doubling farmers’ income and providing high quality and cheaper medicines under Pradhan Mantri Janaushadhi Yojana (PMJAY) are some of major achievements of the government.
Responding to a question on the economic slowdown, the Union Minister said it is only transitory. “Recession is going on throughout the world. The fundamentals of the Indian economy are strong and we are least affected by it. I hope after the end of the year, the economy will revive again,” he said.
Leader of Opposition in Odisha Legislative Assembly Pradeep Nayak, Deputy Leader of Opposition Bishnu Charan Sethi, BJP chief whip Mohan Chandra Majhi, Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi, Rajya Sabha MP Ashwini Vaishnaw and Director of Ministry of I & B Akhil Kumar Mishra were present.
Doles to state:
Rs 4,678 crore released in three phases for restoration works post-Fani
Rs 6,000 crore for railway infrastructure
Rs 5,933 crore CAMPA fund for regeneration of forest