55 Tigers Die In Odisha During Last 10 Years: Forest Minister

While addressing an event in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday, the Prime Minister alleged that the British, during its rule in India, had problems with Ganesh Utsav and added that people who are "hungry for power" have issues with Ganesh Puja.

This comes in the backdrop of the recent controversy triggered by PM Modi attending Ganesh Puja at Chief Justice DY Chandrachud's residence.

"Ganesh Utsav is not just a festival of faith for our country. Ganesh Utsav played a very important role in the independence of our country. The British, who worked on the policy of 'Divide and Rule', were irked by the Ganesh Utsav. Dividing us in the name of caste was a weapon of the British. Today also, the people who are trying to divide and break Indian society are irked by Ganesh Utsav. People who are hungry for power have an issue with Ganesh Pooja. The people of Congress and its eco-system are agitated because I attended Ganpati Poojan," PM Modi said.

"In Karnataka, where they are in power, they committed an even bigger sin. They put Lord Ganesh's idol behind bars. The whole country is disturbed because of those pictures. We cannot let these hateful elements move forward. We have a lot to achieve yet," he added.

The Prime Minister also highlighted the Subhdra scheme, which is a flagship scheme of the Odisha government that was launched today. "I had said that if the double-engine government would be formed then Odisha will reach new heights of development," he said.

"Today, witness the fulfilment of our promises at an unprecedented pace! We vowed to open all four doors of Bhagwan Jagannath Temple upon forming the government, and we have delivered the same. The Ratna Bhandar is now open too. The BJP works tirelessly, day and night, serving the people," he added.

PM Modi also emphasised that the third NDA government was completing its first 100 days at the Centre and said, "Today marks the 100th day of the NDA government at the Centre. During this period, big decisions have been taken for the empowerment of the poor, farmers, youth and women."

The Prime Minister also recalled an emotional moment with his mother and also thanked one of the beneficiaries who fed him 'kheer' during his visit to their house, reminding him of his mother.

"Before coming here, I went to the home of an Adivasi family to attend their Grih Pravesh event. My sister in that family gave me Kheer to eat. And when I was eating that kheer, it was obvious that I missed my mother. When my mother was alive, I always used to visit her on my birthday to seek her blessings. My mother used to feed me 'Gud' (jaggery) by hand. She is not there anymore but my Adivasi mother fed me Kheer and gave me birthday blessings," he said.

PM Modi interacted with beneficiaries of PM Awas Yojana-Urban in Bhubaneswar. The Prime Minister, along with Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, visited the houses of several beneficiaries while they shared their queries.

He also stressed the importance of Hyderabad Mukti Diwas and said, "The country is celebrating Hyderabad Mukti Divas today. At the time of independence, the opportunists were ready to break India into pieces to gain power. Sardar Patel came forward and united the country. He controlled the anti-India extremist powers in Hyderabad and freed it on September 17."

"Hyderabad Mukti Divas is not just a date but an inspiration for us regarding our responsibilities towards our country. We also have to pay attention to those challenges that are trying to push the country backwards," he added.

PM Modi earlier laid the foundation stone and inaugurated various development projects worth Rs 3800 crore in Bhubaneswar. He also launched and dedicated to the nation several projects in the state. He released the 1st instalment of assistance to nearly 10 lakh beneficiaries under PMAY-G in around 14 states.

The Griha Pravesh celebrations for 26 lakh beneficiaries of PMAY (Gramin and Urban) from across the country were held during the program. PM Modi also handed over the keys to their house to PMAY (Gramin and Urban) beneficiaries. He also launched the AWS+ 2024 app for a survey of additional households for PMAY-G. Further, the Prime Minister launched the Operational Guidelines of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana--Urban (PMAY-U) 2.0.

The Prime Minister launched 'Subhdra', the flagship scheme of the Government of Odisha, in Bhubaneswar. It is the largest, single women-centric scheme and is expected to cover more than 1 crore women. Under the scheme, all eligible beneficiaries between the ages of 21 and 60 would receive Rs 50,000 for 5 years between 2024-25 to 2028-29. An amount of Rs 10,000 per annum in two equal instalments will be credited directly to the beneficiary's Aadhaar-enabled and DBT-enabled bank account. On this historic occasion, the Prime Minister initiated the fund transfer into the bank accounts of more than 10 lakh women. (ANI)

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PM Modi, who turns 74 today, launched the Odisha government’s flagship women-centric initiative, Subhadra Yojana, besides other railway and national highway projects at a special progamme held at Janata Maidan here.

Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said, "In the first 100 days of the third NDA government, major steps were taken for uplift of the poor, farmers and youth along with the empowerment of women.

"Women's empowerment is key to Odisha's development," he said.

In his social media platform ‘X’, PM Modi said the Subhadra Yojana will boost women’s empowerment and ensure financial independence for our ‘Nari Shakti’.

Under the Subhadra Yojana, all eligible beneficiaries between the age group of 21-60 years would receive Rs 50,000 over a period of five years between 2024-25 and 2028-29.

Earlier, PM Modi along with Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi visited a slum area at Gadakana village on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar and interacted with 20 beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban. He handed over the keys of their houses built under the Yojana to the beneficiaries.

The Prime Minister also dedicated to the nation and laid the foundation of railway projects worth 2,800 crore rupees and national highway projects worth more than 1,000 crore rupees.

PM also released the first installment of assistance of 3180 crore rupees to nearly 10 lakh beneficiaries under PMAY-Gramin of around 14 states during the programme.

Odisha Governor Raghubar Das, Chief Minister Majhi, Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Jual Oram, Deputy CMs Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo and Pravati Parida and Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi were, among others, present on the occasion.  

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The most affected areas include the Shahpur and Barahra blocks, particularly the villages of Neknam Tola, Sinha, and Poraha in the Barahra block, as well as Jawainiya and Maqsoodpur in the Shahpur block.

In Jawainiya village, the concrete house of Binod Yadav and the local Kali temple were submerged overnight due to the rising water of the Ganga River. In Neknam Tola village of Barahra block, floodwater entered more than 20 houses.

The situation is dire, as the water level of the Ganga continues to rise, creating significant hardships for residents.

Vijay Sharma, a resident of Poraha village, said, "The flood has led to a shortage of essential supplies, including food, drinking water, and other daily necessities. The situation has worsened in the last three days."

The Water Resource Department has reported that the Ganga River was flowing 48 cm above the danger mark at 49.08 metres at Gandhi Ghat in Patna.

Additionally, the river is above the danger level at Hathidah block, where the water level has reached 41.88 meters, 12 cm above the danger mark.

The situation is particularly alarming for villagers living near the riverbanks, as soil erosion has become a significant concern. The ongoing erosion poses a severe threat to the stability of homes and land in these villages, creating an atmosphere of panic among those living at the river's edge.

Rajeshwar Yadav, a resident of Neknam Tola, expressed deep concern over the rising water level of the Ganga River.

"Our children and the entire family are unable to sleep at night due to the fear that the water might reach our house," he said.

In response to the crisis, the district administration and the Water Resource Department have claimed that they are implementing preventive measures.

They are placing sandbags along the banks of the Ganga River to slow down and prevent further soil erosion. However, the residents continue to live in fear as the river's water level shows no sign of receding.

--IANS

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