Union Petroleum and Skill Development Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday claimed that the Narendra Modi Government at the Centre has provided much more financial supports for development of Odisha in various sectors during the last 48 months compared to the last four years of the Congress-led UPA-II Government led by Manmohan Singh.
“The Modi Government has provided a total of Rs 1,96,632.7 crore during last four years against Rs 82,185.58 crore during the UPA-II Gvoernemnt’s last four year. Odisha has been benefited the most due to the policy decision of the Union Government,” Pradhan told while interacting with newspaper editors and senior journalists of the State.
He said due to e-auction of 13 coal blocks and five other mines, Odisha would get 71,783 crore though the leasing period. Odisha has availed Rs 4,300 crore to the District Mineral Fund (DMF).
The Minister said the National Company law Tribunal has also benefited Odisha in many ways. “The Bhushan Company which was bankrupt with loan burden of Rs 57,000 crore could be auctioned at Rs 36,000 crore and reopened for benefit of economic growth of the State and for employment of workers,” he said giving an example.
Due to the National Steel Policy, steels produced in Odisha can now be exported to other countries.
In railway sectors, Odisha has got Rs 20,213 crore during the Modi Government’s four years against 4,190 crore during the Manmohan Singh Goverenmnt’s last four year.
Odhsa had a total length of 4,500 km National Highways till 2014, which has been raised to 10,000 km now. This has been possible as 5,499-km NHs have been sanctioned during the Modi Government.
He said the Union Government has proposed to construct a 250-km long bypass road to the Cuttack-Bhubaneswar, named Outer Ring Road, so that plying of heavy vehicles on Khordha-Bhuaneswar-Cuttack can be avoided. The State Government has provided in-principle nod to the bypass, which would divert from Jankia and move through Ansupa, Athagarh and Kapilash to Chhattia in Jajpur district.
There will be a second International Airport in the State. A land spanning 2x6 km has been identified by the State Government near Khorda. Initial works have been started for this, he said.
The proposed 450-km Coastal Express Highway would connect four ports, Dhamra, proposed Astaranga, Paradip and Gopalpur and many tourist spots in the State. It would continue to enhance socio-economic condition of the State in the long run, said Pradhan.
He said that the Paradip project is going to be a container Port of the country under the Union Government’s Sagaramala project. After this, the Paradip Port’s income would be two-to-four times, he said.
He said a Rs 30,000-crore plastic factory is going to be launched by the IOCl very soon. Similarly, a Rs 1200-crore spinning mill would be opened in Bhadrak.
The IIM at Sambalpur and the IISER at Brahmapur are the other two major contributions of the Modi Government to Odisha. An ICT would start operating in Bhubaneswar this year.
Households, transport vehicles and industries would be connected with gas in 13 district under the PM Urja Gangap programme. A total of 769 km pipelines would be spread, he said.
Regarding lPG connection, Pradhan said while only 20 lakh households had got gas connections by 2014, the number has increased to 62 lakh families which include 25.50 lakh Ujjwala beneficiaries.