Bhubaneswar, June 19: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Odisha today in a significant event that will also be attended by President Droupadi Murmu. The joint visit is being seen as a rare and important occasion for the state.
At around 11:15 a.m., the President and the Prime Minister will visit Pahadpur village in Mayurbhanj district. During the visit, they will offer prayers at the sacred Santali Jahera and Ho Jahera sites and tour the Skill Development Centre and Pahadpur School. The visit highlights ongoing efforts to strengthen educational opportunities, skill development, and socio-economic empowerment in tribal and rural areas.
Later, at around 1:00 p.m., President Murmu and Prime Minister Modi will attend a function in Rairangpur marking the completion of two years of the Odisha Government. The event, themed “Vikasara Dhara, Odisha Sara” (Development Across Odisha), will witness the inauguration and foundation-laying of development projects worth more than ₹47,600 crore. The Prime Minister is also scheduled to address a public gathering.
The projects span key sectors including power, industrial infrastructure, road connectivity, drinking water, healthcare, education, tourism, and irrigation. These initiatives are expected to strengthen infrastructure, improve connectivity, enhance energy security, and create employment opportunities across the state.
Among the major projects to be launched are the 600 MW Upper Indravati Pumped Storage Project and two 660 MW units under the expansion of the Ib Thermal Power Station. These projects are expected to significantly boost Odisha’s energy capacity and support economic growth.
The foundation stone will also be laid for the Bharat Coal Gasification and Chemicals Limited (BCGCL) project at Lakhanpur in Jharsuguda district. The project aims to promote cleaner utilization of domestic coal resources, reduce import dependence, and generate new industrial and employment opportunities.
Other projects to be launched include a 300 TPD source-segregated municipal solid waste-based compressed biogas plant in Bhubaneswar, a bridge over the Kathajodi River connecting Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, road widening projects in Boudh district, the four-laning of a section of NH-353 between Nuapada and Ghatipada, the Kusumdihi Mega Lift Irrigation Project, an IGNOU Regional Centre, and an indoor badminton complex in Rairangpur.
Additionally, a 300-bed District Headquarters Hospital building in Boudh, 24 Atal Bus Stands, and nine Automated Testing Stations across Odisha will be inaugurated. These projects are expected to strengthen healthcare services and public transport infrastructure.
Other key projects slated for inauguration include the Nayagarh Town Bypass on NH-57, the underground pipeline component of the Kusumi Smart Irrigation Project, the Jakhapura–Jajpur Keonjhar Road–Baitarani Road widening project, the Hindol Road–Meramandali road expansion project, a sports complex in Rairangpur, and a Tribal Research Centre.
The large-scale infrastructure push reflects the government’s focus on inclusive and holistic development, with special emphasis on accelerating growth in tribal and rural regions while extending the benefits of development to every part of Odisha.
