BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday paid rich tributes to legendary leader Biju Patnaik on his birth anniversary, describing him as not just a hero of the past but a visionary architect of modern Odisha.
Addressing the legendary leader’s 110th brith anniversary, organised by the state government, the chief minister said Biju Babu symbolised Odia pride and dedicated his life to the development of the state beyond political considerations.
“Biju Babu was an institution and a powerful ideology. Courage, foresight and patriotism defined his life,” Majhi said.
He said that Biju Patnaik had envisioned an industrially-strong Odisha, employment opportunities for the poor, empowerment of women and a robust panchayati raj system to ensure rural prosperity. “The collective manifestation of these dreams is a prosperous Odisha. Only by building such an Odisha can we truly fulfil Biju Babu’s vision,” he said.
Majhi highlighted that the state government is strengthening grassroots governance and expanding basic infrastructure in villages, including drinking water, roads, electricity and educational facilities. He said a record budget allocation of `34,166 crore has been made for the Panchayati Raj department in the 2026-27 financial year.
Emphasising the government’s push for industrialisation, the chief minister said the state has attracted investment intents worth over `20 lakh crore in the past 20 months, creating significant employment opportunities for the youth.
Deputy CM Pravati Parida, Ekamra-Bhubaneswar MLA Babu Singh, Khallikote MLA Purna Chandra Sethi and Bhubaneswar mayor Sulochana Das were present at the event.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid his tributes to Biju Babu. In a post on X, he said: “On his birth anniversary today, I pay tributes to Shri Biju Patnaik Ji and remember his passion towards furthering the progress of Odisha.”
Addressing a memorial meeting at Sankha Bhawan, BJD president Naveen Patnaik said that the party will always strive to fulfil the dreams and vision of Biju Patnaik. “The party continues to move forward inspired by the ideals of Biju Babu. His remarkable contributions will continue to inspire future generations,” he added.