Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday embarked on a whirlwind tour in Jajpur district ahead of the panchayat election. He inaugurated and laid foundation stones for 270 projects, including three bridges, ten drinking water projects and 80 Anganwadi centers.
Addressing a meeting at Jaraka, the Chief Minister stated that the river Mahanadi is the lifeline of the State.
People of 16 districts, including Jajpur, depend on the river for irrigation and other purposes. “We are determined to save Mahanadi’s water for the benefit of the people of the State,” he said, adding “Our Government is determined to mitigate the poverty in the State for which the
Government started one `1 rice scheme, Madhusudan pension, Mo Kudia and many poverty alleviation programmes.”
He also stated that the industrialisations in the State will solve the unemployment problems of the State as millions of unemployed youths will get jobs.
Energy Minister Pranab Prakash Das, Bari MlA Debasis Nayak, Sukinda MlA Pritiranjan Ghadai, Dharmasala MlA Pranab Balabanrtaray, Jajpur MP Rita Tarai, Badachana MlA Amar Satapathy ,Korei MlA Aksh Das Nayak among others spoke.
Hundreds of BJP and Congress supporters were arrested for showing black flags near the meeting, said Dharmasala police station IIC Amitav Mohapatra.