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PM lays foundation stone and dedicates to nation multiple development projects worth over Rs 19,600 crores in Chandikhole, Odisha

Published By : Admin | March 5, 2024 | 13:44 IST
Inaugurates Indian Oil Corporation Limited Mono Ethylene Glycol project in Paradip Refinery
Inaugurates 0.6 MMTPA LPG Import facility at Paradip and 344 km long product pipeline traversing from Paradip to Haldia
Inaugurates 5 MLD capacity seawater desalination plant at Odisha Sands Complex of IREL(I) Ltd
Dedicates to nation and lays foundation stone for multiple rail projects
Dedicates multiple road projects to the nation
“Today’s projects showcase the changing work culture in the country”
“Today there is a government in the country working for the future by taking the pledge of a developed India while being mindful of the present needs too”
“Central government is focussing on modern connectivity in Odisha so that local resources improve the economy of the state”

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation multiple development projects worth over Rs 19,600 crores in Chandikhole, Odisha today. The projects relate to sectors including oil & gas, railways, road, transport & highways and atomic energy.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said that by the blessings of Lord Jagannath and Maa Birja, a new stream of development started flowing today in Jajpur and Odisha. Noting the Jayanti of Shri Biju Patnaik, the Prime Minister remembered his incomparable contribution to the nation and Odisha.

Highlighting the inauguration and foundation stone laying of mega development projects worth about Rs 20,000 crores in the sectors of petroleum, natural gas, atomic energy, roadways, railways and connectivity today, the Prime Minister said that it will boost industrial activities in the region and create new employment opportunities. He congratulated the people of Odisha for the development projects of today.

The Prime Minister put forward the government’s approach of taking care of the present needs of the nation while working for the resolution of Viksit Bharat. He mentioned the efforts for enhancing the capabilities of the Eastern states in the energy sector. Under the Urja Ganaga Yojana five big states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha, major projects are underway for the supply of the natural gas. PM Modi inaugurated a 344 km long product pipeline from Paradip in Odisha to Haldia in West Bengal. He also inaugurated the Indian Oil Corporation Limited Mono Ethylene Glycol project in Paradip Refinery and 0.6 MMTPA LPG Import facility at Paradip which will bring a revolutionary change in the polyester industry of eastern India. This will also provide raw material to the textile park in Bhadrak and Paradip.

Underlining that today’s occasion is a symbol of the changing work culture in the country, the Prime Minister drew comparisons of the previous government which never took interest in completing the development projects with the present government which inaugurates the very projects on time whose foundation stones were laid. Referring to the development projects that were completed after 2014, the Prime Minister mentioned the Paradip Refinery which became a topic of discussion in 2002 but no work was accomplished till until the present government came to power in 2014. He also mentioned inaugurating the Paradip - Hyderabad Pipeline in Sangareddy, Telangana yesterday and the 500 km long crude oil pipeline from Haldia to Barauni in Arambagh, West Bengal three days ago.

Prime Minister Modi highlighted the central government making use of the abundance of natural resources in Eastern India for the development of Odisha and spoke about the desalination plant in Ganjam district that will treat almost 50 lakh litres of saline water everyday and make it suitable for drinking.

The Prime Minister said that the Central government is focussing on modern connectivity in Odisha so that local resources increase the economy of the state. The Prime Minister said that in the last 10 years, 3000 km long national highways, railway budget has been increased 12 fold. He stated that in order to improve Rail-Highway-Port connectivity, national highways are being expanded in Jajpur, Bhadrak, Jagatsinghpur, Mayurbhanj, Khorda, Ganjam, Puri and Kendujhar. He said the new Angul Sukinda railway line will open up the development of Kalinga Nagar Industrial area.

The Prime Minister concluded the address by paying tributes to Biju Patnaik ji on his birth anniversary and congratulated the citizens for the development projects of today.

Governor of Odisha, Shri Raghubar Das, Chief Minister of Odisha, Shri Naveen Patnaik and Union Minister, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan were present on the occasion among others.

Background

The Prime Minister inaugurated the Indian Oil Corporation Limited Mono Ethylene Glycol project in Paradip Refinery which will further help in reducing India's import dependency. He also inaugurated a 344 km long product pipeline traversing from Paradip in Odisha to Haldia in West Bengal. To augment the import infrastructure on the Eastern Coast of India, the Prime Minister inaugurated 0.6 MMTPA LPG Import facility at Paradip.

In order to boost road infrastructure in the region, the Prime Minister dedicated to the nation four laning of Singhara to Binjabahal Section of NH-49; four laning of Binjabahal to Tileibani Section of NH-49; four laning of Balasore-Jharpokharia Section of NH-18 and four laning of Tangi-Bhubaneswar Section of NH-16. He will also lay the foundation stone for eight laning of Chandikhole - Paradip Section at Chandikhole.

The Prime Minister dedicate to the nation, 162 Km Bansapani - Daitari - Tomka - Jakhapura Rail Line. It will not only enhance the existing traffic facility's capacity but also facilitate efficient transportation of Iron and Manganese ore from Keonjhar District to the nearest ports and steel plants, significantly contributing to regional economic growth. The inauguration of CONCOR Container Depot in Kalinga Nagar was also done with an aim to boost domestic and international trade. The foundation stone was laid for the Electric Loco Periodical Overhauling Workshop at Narla, the Wagon Periodical Overhauling Workshop at Kantabanji and the upgradation and augmentation of maintenance facilities at Baghuapal. Other railway projects include the flagging off of new train services.

The Prime Minister also inaugurated a 5 MLD capacity seawater desalination plant at Odisha Sands Complex of IREL(I) Ltd. This project has been built as a part of field applications of indigenous desalination technologies developed by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the 5th National Conference of Chief Secretaries in Delhi, earlier today. The three-day Conference was held in Pusa, Delhi from 26 to 28 December, 2025.

Prime Minister observed that this conference marks another decisive step in strengthening the spirit of cooperative federalism and deepening Centre-State partnership to achieve the vision of Viksit Bharat.

Prime Minister emphasised that Human Capital comprising knowledge, skills, health and capabilities is the fundamental driver of economic growth and social progress and must be developed through a coordinated Whole-of-Government approach.

The Conference included discussions around the overarching theme of ‘Human Capital for Viksit Bharat’. Highlighting India's demographic advantage, the Prime Minister stated that nearly 70 percent of the population is in the working-age group, creating a unique historical opportunity which, when combined with economic progress, can significantly accelerate India's journey towards Viksit Bharat.

Prime Minister said that India has boarded the “Reform Express”, driven primarily by the strength of its young population, and empowering this demographic remains the government’s key priority. Prime Minister noted that the Conference is being held at a time when the country is witnessing next-generation reforms and moving steadily towards becoming a major global economic power.

He further observed that Viksit Bharat is synonymous with quality and excellence and urged all stakeholders to move beyond average outcomes. Emphasising quality in governance, service delivery and manufacturing, the Prime Minister stated that the label "Made in India' must become a symbol of excellence and global competitiveness.

Prime Minister emphasised the need to strengthen Aatmanirbharta, stating that India must pursue self-reliance with zero defect in products and minimal environmental impact, making the label 'Made in India' synonymous with quality and strengthen our commitment to 'Zero Effect, Zero Defect.’ He urged the Centre and States to jointly identify 100 products for domestic manufacturing to reduce import dependence and strengthen economic resilience in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat.

Prime Minister emphasised the need to map skill demand at the State and global levels to better design skill development strategies. In higher education too, he suggested that there is a need for academia and industry to work together to create high quality talent.

For livelihoods of youth, Prime Minister observed that tourism can play a huge role. He highlighted that India has a rich heritage and history with a potential to be among the top global tourist destinations. He urged the States to prepare a roadmap for creating at least one global level tourist destination and nourishing an entire tourist ecosystem.

PM Modi said that it is important to align the Indian national sports calendar with the global sports calendar. India is working to host the 2036 Olympics. India needs to prepare infrastructure and sports ecosystem at par with global standards. He observed that young kids should be identified, nurtured and trained to compete at that time. He urged the States that the next 10 years must be invested in them, only then will India get desired results in such sports events. Organising and promoting sports events and tournaments at local and district level and keeping data of players will create a vibrant sports environment.

PM Modi said that soon India would be launching the National Manufacturing Mission (NMM). Every State must give this top priority and create infrastructure to attract global companies. He further said that it included Ease of Doing Business, especially with respect to land, utilities and social infrastructure. He also called upon states to encourage manufacturing, boost ‘Ease of Doing Business’ and strengthen the services sector. In the services sector, PM Modi said that there should be greater emphasis on other areas like Healthcare, education, transport, tourism, professional services, AI, etc. to make India a Global Services Giant.

Prime Minister also emphasized that as India aspires to be the food basket of the world, we need to shift to high value agriculture, dairy, fisheries, with a focus on exports. He pointed out that the PM Dhan Dhanya Scheme has identified 100 districts with lower productivity. Similarly, in learning outcomes States must identify the lowest 100 districts and must work on addressing the issues around the low indicators.

PM also urged the States to use Gyan Bharatam Mission for digitization of manuscripts. He said that States may start a Abhiyan to digitize such manuscripts available in States. Once these manuscripts are digitized, Al can be used for synthesizing the wisdom and knowledge available.

Prime Minister noted that the Conference reflects India’s tradition of collective thinking and constructive policy dialogue, and that the Chief Secretaries Conference, institutionalised by the Government of India, has become an effective platform for collective deliberation.

Prime Minister emphasised that States should work in tandem with the discussions and decisions emerging from both the Chief Secretaries and the DGPs Conferences to strengthen governance and implementation.

Prime Minister suggested that similar conferences could be replicated at the departmental level to promote a national perspective among officers and improve governance outcomes in pursuit of Viksit Bharat.

Prime Minister also said that all States and UTs must prepare capacity building plan along with the Capacity Building Commission. He said that use of Al in governance and awareness on cyber security is need of the hour. States and Centre have to put emphasis on cyber security for the security of every citizen.

Prime Minister said that the technology can provide secure and stable solutions through our entire life cycle. There is a need to utilise technology to bring about quality in governance.

In the conclusion, Prime Minister said that every State must create 10-year actionable plans based on the discussions of this Conference with 1, 2, 5 and 10 year target timelines wherein technology can be utilised for regular monitoring.

The three-day Conference emphasised on special themes which included Early Childhood Education; Schooling; Skilling; Higher Education; and Sports and Extracurricular Activities recognising their role in building a resilient, inclusive and future-ready workforce.

Discussion during the Conference

The discussions during the Conference reflected the spirit of Team India, where the Centre and States came together with a shared commitment to transform ideas into action. The deliberations emphasised the importance of ensuring time-bound implementation of agreed outcomes so that the vision of Viksit Bharat translates into tangible improvements in citizens’ lives. The sessions provided a comprehensive assessment of the current situation, key challenges and possible solutions across priority areas related to human capital development.

The Conference also facilitated focused deliberations over meals on Heritage & Manuscript Preservation and Digitisation; and Ayush for All with emphasis on integrating knowledge in primary healthcare delivery.

The deliberations also emphasised the importance of effective delivery, citizen-centric governance and outcome-oriented implementation to ensure that development initiatives translate into measurable on-ground impact. The discussions highlighted the need to strengthen institutional capacity, improve inter-departmental coordination and adopt data-driven monitoring frameworks to enhance service delivery. Focus was placed on simplifying processes, leveraging technology and ensuring last-mile reach so that benefits of development reach every citizen in a timely, transparent and inclusive manner, in alignment with the vision of Viksit Bharat.

The Conference featured a series of special sessions that enabled focused deliberations on cross-cutting and emerging priorities. These sessions examined policy pathways and best practices on Deregulation in States, Technology in Governance: Opportunities, Risks & Mitigation; AgriStack for Smart Supply Chain & Market Linkages; One State, One World Class Tourist Destination; Aatmanirbhar Bharat & Swadeshi; and Plans for a post-Left Wing Extremism future. The discussions highlighted the importance of cooperative federalism, replication of successful State-level initiatives and time-bound implementation to translate deliberations into measurable outcomes.

The Conference was attended by Chief Secretaries, senior officials of all States/Union Territories, domain experts and senior officers in the centre.