Bhubaneswar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today visited Odisha to take part in the celebrations to mark the completion of the state BJP government’s first anniversary. Explaining his love for the state the Prime Minister said he had declined the invitation of US president Donald Trump to be with the people of Odisha on this important day.
“Two days ago I was in Canada to take part in the G-7 summit. There I got a call from US president Donald Trump who invited me to his county. But I told him that I have to go to Odisha, the land of Lord Jagannath. I politely declined his invitation because I wanted to be with you in the land of Lord Jagannath,” Modi told a massive gathering at Janata Maidan in Bhubaneswar to mark the occasion.
Without naming Congress, the Prime Minister criticised the party for doing nothing for the development of the county and states like Odisha which remained underdeveloped for decades together. “But all that has changed with our party coming to power in the state where development is now driven by a double engine government. People are getting double benefits,” he said
Congratulating chief minister Mohan Majhi and his team, Modi said “They have done an excellent job in keeping the promises made by the party in the election. All the four gates of Puri Shree Jagannath temple have been opened and the Ratna Bhandar ( the treasure trove) , too, has been opened. Odisha is marching ahead.”
The Prime Minister launched and inaugurated around Rs 19000 crore worth projects including new railway lines and trains. He cited them as an example of state’s growth. ” Odisha is on the march and it will continue to keep moving forward,” he said adding that under the Ayusman Bharat Yojana launched in the state after the BJP government came to power, lakhs of people are benefiting.
The Prime Minister said the BJP government is focusing on the twin objectives of development and preserving the legacy of the past (Vikas and Virasat), both taking place at the same time. He cited the examples of Assam and Tripura as BJP’s new models of growth, “For decades together Assam was troubled by the problem of insurgency which hindered growth. Tripura which remained under the Left rule also could not realize its developmental potential. But today both the states are marching ahead under the BJP’s rule,” he said.
He said his government has come out with schemes like Vaya Vandana Yojana to take care of citizens above 70 years of age “While farmers are being taken care of under the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, the government is focusing exclusively on the development of tribals who had become the prisoners of Naxalite violence during the Congress rule. ” In those days as many as 125 districts were naxal affected but today the number has come down to 20 and very soon tribals will be free of the threat of Naxalite violence. This is Modi’s guarantee” the PM said.
Talking about his government’s emphasis on tribal development, he said schemes like Dharti Aaba Abhiyana have been launched for the development of the Adivasis for whom special schools are being opened. As many as 40 residential schools have come up in 11 districts of Odisha. He made a special mention of PM Jan Dhan Yojana which, he said , had been inspired by President Droupadi Murmu, the first tribal to take up the highest office in the country.
“The scheme is helping the development of the most underdeveloped tribes,” the Prime Minister said, adding that a similar scheme called PM Matsya Sampad Yojana has also been launched for the development of fishermen.
The PM said his government’s focus was on the development of the country’s eastern region and states like Odisha. “With the BJP government in power in Odisha, the state’s growth has received a special fillip. Odisha is set to progress on all fronts,” he said.
He also unveiled the vision document for 2036 , the year when Odisha would complete the 100 years of statehood.
