Sambalpur: “Purvoday will not be possible without the development of Western Odisha,” said Union Oil, Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Pradhan was speaking at a programme organised by Sambalpur Railway Division here Thursday.
Terming Sambalpur as beautiful town, Pradhan said that art, culture, dance and songs of Sambalpur have special identity at the global level.
“Central government is committed to the development of Western Odisha. The central government has been providing crores of rupees for rural connectivity, drinking water and electricity. A slew of measures have been taken for its facelift,” he added.
The meeting was presided over by Sambalpur railway divisional manager Jaydip Gupta.
The Union Minister inaugurated several projects including mobile stair case, a ramp, food plaza, machanised laundry and conference hall at Chipilima High school among several others.
He also laid the foundation stone for a women’s hostel of Kuntura College, students’ hostel at Kesi Bahal College and a Vidyalay Bhawan at Kuchinda.
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders KV Singhdeo, Rabi Nayak, Sambalpur MLA Rasheswari Panigrahi and Zilla Pariahad members urged the Union Minister for extension of some train services to Sambalpur.
Sambalpur MLA demanded a museum there.
The Union Minister said the state government should give five acre of land for which he announced Rs 5 crore.
He also added that the state government should take up the project expeditiously.
Pradhan also said that several steps have been taken up to push glory of Western Odisha at various levels.
Under Ujjwala Yoja, 75,000 families have been provided gas connections in Western Odisha, he pointed out.
He also said that in two to three years, all houses in Sambalpur, Deogarh and Bargarh will be supplied gas through pipes like in Delhi.
PNN