BJP leader and former Deputy Speaker of State Assembly Rama Chandra Panda met the heads of various departments of Union Ministries during his Delhi visit earlier this week and discussed on myriad development projects.
Panda submitted a memorandum to the Union Ministry of Railways for improvement of rail services in south Odisha, including immediate construction of railway wagon factory at Sithalapalli and sanction of new railway line between Gopalpur and Rayagada via Gunupur-Therubali route. Panda also apprised the Railway Ministry about the serious discontents of the local public on existing running time of Palasa-Balugaon passenger train in odd hours. He also urged the Railway Ministry to extend the Rourkela-Bhubaneswar Rajarani Express train up to Brahmapur in order to provide direct rail connectivity between steel city Rourkela and silk city Brahmapur, the commercial and educational hub of south Odisha.
Panda further reminded the Railway Ministry to extend the 3rd DMU (Palasa-Bhubaneswar) up holy city Puri and convert the same train as first passenger in order to enable the pilgrims to return home on the same day evening after performing their rituals at Puri.
According to information available, the Ministry of Railways has asked the East Coast Railway authorities to discuss the problems and report back to the Ministry for action.
Panda also submitted a memorandum addressed to Union Minister for Power, Coal, and Renewal Energy and met the Secretary of the Department Upendra Tripathy and discussed on mechanisms for popularization of solar pumps in Odisha to meet the irrigation needs of vegetable cultivators of Ganjam district in particular.
Notably, in Chilka basin villages of Ganjam district, namely, Madhurchuan, Gourangapatna, Diandein, JRGpur and Sipakudda, a large number of farmers are cultivating vegetable crops like onion, tomato, and brinjal etc meeting the vegetable needs of the region. During his tenure as MlA and Chairman of OlIC, Panda had encouraged the farmers to construct bore wells to meet the irrigation needs. Here 200 lI points are currently functioning.
Panda also met the Additional Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister at PMO PK Mishra and discussed the various development works in Odisha.