BHUBANESWAR: UN resident coordinator in India Shombi Sharp on Tuesday lauded the efforts of the Odisha government in improving the human development indicators and disaster management.
Sharp, who was on a visit to Odisha, met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at Naveen Niwas. Recalling the previous successful collaborations of the UN agencies with the Odisha government, he discussed the state’s path of development and future partnerships.
One of the most disaster-prone states in the country, Odisha is now recognised as a leading state in managing disasters. The UN had felicitated the chief minister in 2013 for handling cyclone Phailin.
Sharp hailed the achievements of the state in food security and Millet Mission. Odisha has shown the way for India and even the world. The year 2023 was declared as the International Year of the Millets by the UN, he said.
The UN resident coordinator also discussed 5T governance and its impact on the state. The governance framework has created a transformative impact across the state and fastened the growth. He met 5T chairman VK Pandian and commended the state government’s efforts in transforming Odisha into a sports hub.
He toured the state-of-the-art facilities at the Kalinga Stadium, including the indoor athletics centre, sports science centre, and aquatic centre. “The facilities developed here signal a very bright future for sports in the state,” he said.
Pandian expressed interest to collaborate with the UN to take Odisha and Indian sports to next level. The chief minister thanked Sharp and said Odisha will continue to partner with the UN agencies across various sectors to bring the best of practices from across the world to the state.