Sambalpur: Western Odisha’s Sambalpur will be grown into a hub of knowledge-based economy in the days ahead, Union Minister and local MP Dharmendra Pradhan said today during his visit to the district. This was his first visit after taking charge of the Education Department in Modi 3.0 Cabinet.

“Sambalpur district will become a developed region in the future and I vow to assume the role of a squirrel (a symbolic expression) to facilitate the growth process. Whichever assignment I may be in, but will serve the people of Sambalpur till the end of my life,” the Union Minister expressed.

“Let us all put in our efforts together in this regard and make Sambalpur a knowledge-based economy. May goddess Samaleswari bless the people of Sambalpur and the whole world,” Pradhan said.

The Union Minister paid his obeisance to the presiding deity at the famous Samaleswari shrine here.

“I got the opportunity to serve the people of Sambalpur by the virtue of Maa Samaleswari’s blessings and the support of locals. I will remain ever indebted to the people for this,” Pradhan asserted.

Notably, the Union Education Minister was accorded a warm welcome at the Jharsuguda airport by BJP functionaries and locals on his arrival in the district earlier in the day.