ROURKELA: In a big push for development in Sundargarh district, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday laid foundation for 228 projects worth Rs 3,958.76 crore including India’s largest and world-class hockey stadium at Rourkela. Attending a mega function on Biju Patnaik University of Technology (BPUT) campus here, the CM also digitally inaugurated 168 projects across different sectors amounting to Rs 834.23 crore. Naveen described Rourkela as the ‘City of Hopes’ and said it is not only a destination of aspiration for people of Odisha but also those from neighbouring states.
He reminisced the connection his father legendary Biju Patnaik shared with the city. From Rourkela Steel Plant to NIT, every major institution has a Biju Patnaik memory, he said. Seeking to strike a chord with the tribal community, he said, more than six lakh students have been connected to education through hostels while Special Development Councils have been formed to preserve and promote languages and culture of 62 different tribes. “I have demanded of the Centre to include Ho and Mundarai languages in the Eight Schedule,” he said.
Describing members of Mission Shakti as driver of growth, Naveen said Jayanti Ekka (of Sundargarh) is a leader of her field and model for other women who impressed all at the Make In Odisha Conclave. On the occasion, foundations for 106 road connectivity projects were laid at a cost of Rs 976.88 crore including the Bankibahal-Bhedabahal dedicated coal corridor of Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd for Rs 424.97 crore and Bankibahal-Taparia road for Rs 146 crore in Hemgir block. In education sector, Rs 314 crore would be spent on 36 projects.
While the proposed world-class hockey stadium on BPUT campus will cost Rs 120 crore, a whopping Rs 1,599.29 crore would be spent on rural piped water projects to benefit 1.56 lakh population in 10 blocks of Sundargarh. Naveen also laid foundations for 12 projects of Rourkela Smart City worth Rs 470.95 crore including Brahmani riverfront development. Besides, foundations were also laid for multiple projects covering skill development, environment, sanitation, health, education, women and child development, other construction, infrastructure and livelihood sectors worth Rs 359.05 crore.
Among the inaugurated projects, the prominent ones were 11 mega lift irrigation plans for Rs 351.79 crore to irrigate 11,635 hectare and benefit over 10,000 farmers in Balishankara, Subdega, Bisra, Sadar, Lefripada, Bonai, Lahunipada and Nuagaon blocks. Hockey icon Dilip Tirkey, Sports Minister Tusharkanti Behera, Revenue Minister S Marndi and Rourkela MLA Sarada Nayak were present.