BERHAMPUR : Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday inaugurated and laid foundation stones for different projects worth around `32 crore in Ganjam district, including his own constituency, Hinjili.
The projects inaugurated by Naveen include 135 newly constructed anganwadi centres, 10 mini stadiums in different blocks, new bus-stand at Chhatrapur constructed by Berhampur Development Authority and a new office building of the district police at Chhatrapur. He also laid foundation stones for several road projects in his home constituency Hinjili and Sanakhemundi.
During his day-long whirlwind tour of the district, the Chief Minister addressed students at Science College, Hinjili and at the district level meeting of Biju Patnaik birth centenary at Chhatrapur, the district headquarters town.
At Patapur, the Chief Minister also distributed old-age pension, widow, Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana benefits among the beneficiaries before addressing the gathering. He said several schemes have been implemented for the benefit of poor and special attention has been given for betterment of poor, rural areas and farmers. Earlier, he garlanded the statue of Biju Patnaik at Seragada Chowk.
He was accompanied by Higher Education Minister Pradeep Panigrahy, Forest and Environment Minister Bikram Kesari Arukh, Child and Women Welfare Minister Usha Devi, MP Sidhant Mohapatra and MLAs Surya Narayan Patra, Dr RC Choupatnaik and Srikant Sahu. He flew back to Bhubaneswar by evening.
The Chief Minister’s visit assumed significance as the three-tier panchayat election is scheduled to be held in early next year.