PM dedicates IIT Bhubaneswar to nation, launches basket of projects in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today launched a host of projects worth Rs 14,523 crore besides dedicating the new campus of IIT Bhubaneswar to the nation during his one-day visit to Odisha.

The permanent campus of IIT Bhubaneswar at Arugul on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar was dedicated to the nation by the PM. The premier institute started from the off-campus of IIT-Kharagpur before moving to a transit campus. It then operated from a sprawling campus of 936 acres located at the foot of Barunei hills at Arugul.

“I got the opportunity to dedicate IIT Bhubaneswar to the youth. Around Rs 1260 crores have been spent on its construction. This grand campus will not only be a center of dreams for the youth of Odisha but will also provide employment opportunities,” the PM said.

The Prime Minister said that IIT Bhubaneswar would spur the industrial development of Odisha, and work towards technology to improve the lives of the people.

“We are following ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ and taking steps for public of Odisha. This is the first time in history that the central government along with Odisha are working for the development of Eastern-India,” he said.

Modi also laid the foundation stone for the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Berhampur from the IIT campus. The institute will be built on 200 acres of land located at Laudigam in Ganjam district before December, 2021 with a project cost of Rs 1582.78 crore.

Established in 2016, IISER Berhampur is currently functioning from the building of the Industrial Training Institute (ITI) in Berhampur. The PM laid the foundation stone for the permanent campus of the institute.

As a part of bicentenary celebration of the historic Paika Rebellion, the Prime Minister released commemorative coins, commemorative Rs 5 postage stamps and inaugurated the Buxi Jagabandhu Research Chair of the Utkal University.

Foundation stones of Indian Oil Corporation’s gas pipeline from Paradip oil refinery to Hyderabad with an investment of Rs 3,800 crore and Bokaro-Angul section of the Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga project at an estimated cost of Rs 3,437 crore were also laid by the PM.

He also broke ground for six-laning of Chandikhole-Bhadrak section of NH-5 (New NH-16), Khandagiri flyover in Bhubaneswar of NH-5 (New NH-16), four-laning of Cuttack-Angul section of NH-42 (New NH-55) and 6/4 laning of Tangi-Puintola section of NH-5 (New NH-16).

This apart, Modi inaugurated an Archaeological Museum in Lalitgiri and dedicate 50 additional beds of ESI Hospital in the city to people. Apart from increasing the capacity for indoor patients to 100 bed, the hospital has been modernised with improved health care facilities with an investment of Rs 73.5 crore.

The ceremony was held in the presence of Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Bhubaneswar MP Prasanna Kumar Patasani, Union Ministers Jual Oram and Dharmendra Pradhan.

On the occasion, CM Patnaik reiterated the demand to declare the Paika Rebellion against the British Raj in 1817 as the first freedom movement of the country and to run a new train for Odisha in honour of Buxi Jagabandhu.

With the union government proposing to set up a memorial on the Paika Rebellion, he assured to provide land free of cost and all necessary support.

Earlier in the day, the PM arrived at the Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) here around 1 PM by a special flight of the Indian Air Force (IAF). He was welcomed there by Governor Ganeshi Lal, State Finance Minister Sashi Bhusan Behera, Chief Secretary AP Padhi, DGP RP Sharma, Bhubaneswar Mayor Ananta Jena, Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Jual Oram and several BJP leaders.