PARADIP: Protesting non-renovation of Paradip-Chandikhole National Highway-5 (A), agitating BJD activists detained Union Minister Mansukh Laxmanbhai Mandaviya on Tarenigada road of Paradip town for nearly four hours while he was on his way to Paradip Port on Friday. The Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways and Shipping was here to attend the launch of Paradip cluster of MSME support programme here on Friday.
The BJD activists were protesting the Centre’s apathy in renovating Paradip-Chandikhole NH-5 (A) and other roads in Paradip Port area which have witnessed a rise in the plying of heavy vehicles leading to worsening of the motorable condition of roads.
The NH, on which people of two districts Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara depend, has turned a death trap, the activists said. Nearly 2,000 mineral-laden trucks pass through the stretch everyday. Besides this, lorries and trucks taking mineral ore to Paradip Port from Joda and Badbil areas of Keonjhar district has also increased leading to depletion of the road condition.
Similarly, the stretch of National Highway from Atharbanki Gate to Paradeepgarh is replete with potholes. For the last six months, the road has not been repaired and is completely non-motorable, the activists alleged. The agitation was called off after police intervention.
Through video conferencing, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched MSME support programme from Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The online portal - Psbloansin59minutes.com was launched on the occasion.
The MSME ‘Support & Outreach Programme’ will run for 100 days covering 100 districts throughout the country and reach out to them through Credit Plus services. As part of the initiative, UCO Bank has been designated the nodal agency in Odisha. The bank will cover clusters of Cuttack, Puri, Bargarh and Paradip. The Union Minister’s visit is to boost MSME Sector.
Among others, Joint Secretary, MoEF, Nikunja Kishore Sundaray; PPT Chairman Rinkesh Roy; General Manager, Strategic Planning, UCO Bank TB Negi and Anil Kumar Patnaik, Lead District Manager, UCO Bank for Paradip Cluster were present.