Bhubaneswar, Oct 27: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday flagged off a special train from Bhubaneswar New Railway Station to Ekta Nagar in Gujarat, carrying around 1,000 representatives from 19 districts of the state declared Naxal-free.

The representatives will participate in the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas National Parade scheduled to be held near the Statue of Unity on October 31, ahead of the 151st birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. They will represent Odisha as a symbol of peace, security and development.

Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, Majhi paid tribute to Sardar Patel, popularly known as the Iron Man of India, for his decisive leadership in integrating more than 550 princely states into a united India.

The Chief Minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government began observing Patel's birth anniversary as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas in 2014 as a tribute to his contribution to national unity.

Majhi expressed confidence that this year's Ekta Parade would reflect the country's progress towards eliminating Naxalism.

“Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the firm leadership of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, along with the efforts of security forces, the country and Odisha have become completely Naxal-free and are moving rapidly on the path of development,” he said.

The Chief Minister said infrastructure development, along with social and economic progress, was being prioritised in areas previously affected by Naxalism. He added that welfare schemes were being delivered to beneficiaries in 10 affected districts through the integrated ‘Gramoday Plus’ initiative.

He also highlighted the collective efforts of the country's 140 crore people in realising the Prime Minister's vision of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’.

On the occasion, Majhi announced that the Central Government had approved a new express train service between Puri and Badampahad in Mayurbhanj district.

The train is scheduled to be flagged off by President Droupadi Murmu in the first week of November. The service is expected to improve rail connectivity across six districts—Puri, Khordha, Cuttack, Jajpur, Kendujhar and Mayurbhanj.