Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated and laid foundation stones for a slew of development projects worth Rs 2,114 crore in Kalahandi district on Saturday ahead of the simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly polls in the state.
Among the major projects inaugurated by Patnaik at a function here was the Ret Medium Irrigation project constructed at a cost of Rs 768.46 crore, officials said.
The new project will benefit 79 villages and provide irrigation facility for 8500 hectares of agricultural land under the four blocks of Bhawanipatna, Kesinga, Narla and Lanjigarh in the district, they said.
This apart, Patnaik also inaugurated and laid foundation stones for 38 developmental projects worth Rs 1346 crore.
He launched 23 projects completed at an estimated cost of Rs 910.57 crore, while foundation stones were laid for 15 others to be implemented at a cost of Rs 435.28 crore, they said.
Addressing the gathering at the function, the chief minister announced that Bhawanipatna Government Autonomous College will be accorded university status, while Bhawanipatna Womens College will have science stream, science laboratory and other infrastructure facilities for which Rs 5 crore has been allocated.
Also Read
During his visit to the district, Patnaik also attended a conclave of Mission Shakti at Bhawanipatna where a large number of women from across the state had gathered.
Patnaik announced that the Mission Shakti women brigade will also be associated with paddy procurement operation undertaken by the state Government.
The chief minister also released Rs 15,000 each to 11,122 women self help groups as seed money, Rs 25 lakh each to 14 block-level Mahasanghs, Rs 3000 each to 9836 SHGs as digital empowerment assistance under the ongoing Mission Shakti programme.
Earlier, Patnaik, who is also president of the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD), attended a party event at Junagarh stadium and asked the party workers to gear up for the upcoming elections.
Several local leaders of BJP and Congress joined the BJD at the function.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content