Jharsuguda, Sep 27 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday laid the foundation stone and inaugurated several development projects worth Rs 60,000 crore in Odisha’s Jharsuguda and reiterated his call for an ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India)’.

These projects span various sectors, including telecommunications, railways, higher education, healthcare, skill development, and rural housing, among others.

Addressing the large gathering, PM Modi extended Navratri greetings to the people of the state amid the “Modi-Modi” chants.

The Prime Minister also thanked the people for the gifts they had brought for him, including the pictures and portraits. He also promised them that he would write back.

“From today, we will witness a new avatar of BSNL with the launch of its Swadeshi 4G services. The expansion of IITs in different parts of the country has also begun today,” the Prime Minister said, adding that the state is also witnessing the foundation laying and inauguration of several development projects in the field of education and technology.

More than 92,600 4G technology sites commissioned by BSNL have been inaugurated. Over 18,900 4G sites have been funded under the Digital Bharat Nidhi, which will connect around 26,700 unconnected villages in remote, border, and Left-Wing Extremism-affected areas, serving over 20 lakh new subscribers, it said.

These towers are solar-powered, making them India’s largest cluster of green telecom sites and a step forward in sustainable infrastructure.

The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation important railway projects that will boost connectivity and regional growth.

These include the foundation stone for the Rail Flyover at Sambalpur–Sarla, dedication to the nation of the doubling of the Koraput–Baiguda line, and the Manabar–Koraput–Gorapur line.

These projects significantly improve freight and passenger movement in Odisha and neighbouring states, strengthening local industries and trade.

On the occasion, the Prime Minister also flagged off the Amrit Bharat Express between Berhampur and Udhna (Surat), providing affordable and comfortable connectivity across states, supporting tourism, creating employment opportunities, and linking key economic districts.

Speaking about this, he said, “Just now, the modern Amrit Bharat train from Brahmapur to Surat was flagged off. And you all know how important your connection with Surat is. There is hardly any village in this region whose people are not settled in Surat. Some say that after West Bengal, the largest number of Odia people live in Gujarat, especially in Surat. Today, this direct rail service has been started for them.”

The Prime Minister also distributed sanction orders to 50,000 beneficiaries under the Antyodaya Gruha Yojana.

“This government is focussed on empowering the poor. We are strongly determined to provide all facilities to all poor, Dalits, the backwards and Adivasis. This event is evidence of this,” he said.

“When a poor family gets a pucca house, then the lives of the future generations also become a little easier, along with the current generation. Our government has provided pucca homes to 4,000 crore poor families till now,” he said.

“In Odisha also, the work to build thousands of homes has started, and the state government is doing a great job on it. We have provided 50,000 homes to the people here. We are also extending help to those who are backwards within the tribal community,” he added.

The Antyodaya Gruha Yojana aims to provide pucca houses, along with financial assistance, to poor rural families, including persons with disabilities, individuals suffering from terminal illness, widows, and victims of natural calamities.

“Odisha has been blessed with nature. The state has seen several decades of suffering; however, this decade will take it towards prosperity. It is a very important decade for Odisha,” PM Modi said.

“Odisha is progressing with the speed of a double-engine. A decision taken 18 months ago, projects worth crores inaugurated today,” he added.

He also mentioned that the Centre has recently approved two semiconductor units for Odisha, and a semiconductor park will also be constructed in the state.

“The smallest of chips, without which no device can function, will now be manufactured in Odisha. Our resolve is that, from the smallest chip to the largest ships, India should be Atmanirbhar across all sectors,” PM Modi said.

“Every citizen wants India to become ‘Atmanirbhar’, and for this, a huge industrial belt is being made from Paradeep to Jharsuguda,” he added.

He stressed that shipbuilding plays a crucial role in various aspects, including trade and security.

“During conflicts, ships can facilitate uninterrupted imports and exports. This is why the BJP-led government has made a significant move by approving a Rs 70,000 crore package for shipbuilding, which is expected to attract an investment of Rs 4.5 lakh crore,” the Prime Minister added.

“When 2G, 3G, and 4G services were introduced in the telecom sector, India was significantly lagging behind… We all remember the jokes that circulated on social media: ‘2G, 3G, and who knows what else…’ India depended on the foreign nations for its. This was not right for our country. We decided that it was essential for India to develop this crucial technology in the telecom sector. It is a matter of pride for us that BSNL has successfully developed an indigenous 4G technology,” he added.

–IANS

sd/rad