New Delhi, June 20 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Odisha on Saturday to attend a major event at Rairangpur in Mayurbhanj district marking two years of the BJP government in the state.

He will be joined by President Droupadi Murmu, making it a rare occasion for Odisha to host the country’s top two constitutional functionaries together.

The joint visit is expected to place Odisha in the national spotlight and underscore the state’s growing prominence in the country’s political and developmental landscape.

Following the Prime Minister’s arrival on Saturday, he and President Murmu are scheduled to visit Pahadpur, the President’s in-laws’ village in Mayurbhanj district, at around 11:15 a.m. Both the dignitaries will offer prayers at the sacred groves Santhali Jahera and Ho Jahera, Skill Centre and Pahadpur School.

The visit will highlight ongoing efforts to strengthen educational opportunities, skill development and socio-economic empowerment in tribal and rural regions.

At around 1 p.m., the President and Prime Minister will participate in a programme at Rairangpur in Mayurbhanj district, marking the completion of two years of the Government of Odisha. The theme of the programme is “Vikas ra Dhara, Odisha Sara”.

As per official sources, inauguration and foundation stone of various developmental projects worth over Rs 47,600 crore, across key sectors including energy, industrial infrastructure, road connectivity, drinking water, health, education, tourism and irrigation, will take place during the programme.

The Prime Minister will also address a huge public gathering on the occasion at Rairangpur on Saturday. The projects are expected to strengthen infrastructure, improve connectivity, enhance energy security and generate employment opportunities across Odisha.

These initiatives will further accelerate growth in tribal and rural regions and extend the benefits of development to every corner of the State. Among the major projects for which foundation stones will be laid are the 600 MW Upper Indravati Pumped Storage Project and the Stage-II Expansion Project of the IB Thermal Power Station, comprising two units of 660 MW each.

Other projects for which foundation stones will be laid include a 300 TPD source-segregated Municipal Solid Waste-based Compressed Biogas Plant at Bhubaneswar, a Bridge over the river Kathajodi providing a direct link between Cuttack and Bhubaneswar, the widening and strengthening of the Dhalpur-Harbhanga Road in Boudh district and the four-laning of a section of NH-353 from Nuapada to Ghatipada, Kusumdihi Megalift Irrigation Project, IGNOU Regional Centre and Indoor Badminton Complex at Rairangpur, among others.

The 300-bed District Headquarters Hospital building at Boudh, along with 24 Atal Bus Stands and nine Automated Testing Stations across various districts of Odisha, will be inaugurated. These projects are expected to strengthen healthcare and public transport infrastructure in the State.

Keeping in view the visit of the PM and the President, the Odisha Police have made massive security arrangements at different places in the district, especially in and around Rairangpur. It is worth noting that President Murmu will arrive in her native district of Mayurbhanj on Friday evening as part of her two-day visit to Odisha.

–IANS

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