New Delhi: In order to provide a fillip to the economic development of the state, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Tuesday proposed a 300 km eight-lane integrated economic corridor from Paradip to Barbil in a meeting with Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari.
He also assured that the state government will extend all support to the project.
The Chief Minister took up several important infrastructure projects with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari in a review meeting via virtual mode.
The meeting was also attended by Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan along with Union Minister of State for Road, Transport and Highways General (Retd) VK Singh and Minister of State for MSME Pratap Chandra Sarangi.
Significantly, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan told media here after the meeting that the Paradip-Barbil corridor will provide employment opportunities in the region.
“The proposed economic corridor will facilitate growth of multimodal logistics hub near Chandikhol , steel complex at Kalinga Nagar, Mining zones around Dubri , Industrial hub at Keonjhar and Mining areas of Barbil and Joda. This will further facilitate economic growth in region and provide employment opportunities in the region,” said Pradhan.
During the meeting, the CM proposed for early completion of various ongoing NH projects in mines rich Keonjhar district and subsequent eight-laning of the projects. The Chief Minister added that Keonjhar is quite an important district for the state’s economy and also for the steel industry of the entire country.
In order to speed up the projects, Naveen Patnaik suggested regular meetings with Nitin Gadkari in every two months and official level meetings with the Union government every month.
Naveen Patnaik also informed in the meeting that the state government has given all necessary clearances for the Digha-Satpada coastal highways project.
Union minister Nitin Gadkari has assured in the meeting that the four-laning of 166 km Panikoili-Remuli section of NH-20 will be completed within a year. Similarly, the 4-laning of 43 kilometerRemuli-Koida and104 kilomiterSingara-BinjabahalNHs will be completed by June 2021, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said.
The Chief Minister said that the issues of ports connectivity including Gopalpur, Subarnarekha, Astharang, Paradip and Dhamara were discussed and it was decided that appropriate steps will be taken for quick completion of these projects.