BHUBANESWAR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Sambalpur where he would unveil infrastructure projects worth a whopping Rs 68,000 crore on Saturday has charged the pre-election atmosphere as he is also slated to address a rally in the western Odisha town, kickstarting the BJP’s campaign in the state.
This will be the prime minister’s first political rally in the country before the elections and after the Centre presented the interim budget in Parliament. His visit to the town also has political significance as it is speculated that Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is likely to contest the next election from the Sambalpur Lok Sabha constituency.
The PM had last addressed a political rally in the state at Kendrapara on April 23, 2019 during the fourth phase of elections. Sources said Modi’s speech at the public meeting will set the tone for BJP’s approach to the ensuing elections in Odisha.
Besides addressing a public meeting at Remed, he will also inaugurate and lay the foundation for multiple projects worth Rs 68,000 crore during his visit to Sambalpur. The prime minister will dedicate to the nation and lay the foundation of power projects worth around Rs 28,980 crore to boost the energy sector. He will also lay the foundation of Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC)’s thermal power project worth more than Rs 27,000 crore at Talabira.
Other major projects to be launched by the PM include the 412 km long ‘Dhamra-Angul pipeline section of Jagdishpur-Haldia and the Bokaro-Dhamra pipeline project (JHBDPL). Modi also will inaugurate coal infrastructure projects of Mahanadi Coalfields Limited including First Mile Connectivity (FMC) projects - Bhubaneswari Phase-I in Talcher Coalfields in Angul district and Lajkura Rapid Loading System (RLS) built at a cost of around Rs 2,145 crore.
Pradhan who has been camping at Sambalpur to take stock of the preparations said the prime minister had laid the foundation stone of the IIM campus at Sambalpur three years back through video conferencing during the Covid-19 pandemic. The project has now been completed at a cost of Rs 400 crore and it proves the Centre finishes what it starts.
The Union minister said in the last 10 years IIM Sambalpur has established itself as one of the top educational institutions of the state.
Pradhan said it is a matter of pride that the prime minister will visit Odisha and address the first public meeting here before the elections. Stating that the poor, women, farmers and youths have reposed their trust in the prime minister, he said there is great enthusiasm among BJP leaders and workers over Modi’s visit.
