Union Education, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Dharmendra Pradhan stated this while inaugurating the extension of the Banaras-Sambalpur-Banaras Bi-Weekly Express train to Visakhapatnam along with Union Minister of Railways, Communications, Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw here today.
Pradhan said people's expectations are increasing in all sectors, especially in the railway sector, during the current Narendra Modi government. A new awakening has been created in the country with railway projects being implemented smoothly with the increase in railway grants.
He said he has requested the Railway Minister to run a train to Ayodhya as per the demands of the people.
"People also demand trains to Prasanthi Nilayam and Tirupati. This means that the people's trust in the railway department has been enhanced. The golden age of Odisha has started under the Modi government," Pradhan contended.
Pradhan said the extension of Naras-Sambalpur-Banaras Bi-weekly express to Visakhapatna will bring a monumental change for the people of South and West Odisha. "Sambalpur is a city of art, culture, and tourism excellence. Banaras is the unique soul center of our Indian civilization.
Visakhapatnam is a trade, business, and tourism-oriented city. Today's move will bring education, healthcare, tourism, passenger facilities, and business between the three cities," he said.
On this occasion, Pradhan requested the Railway Minister to expedite the much anticipated Khurda-Balangir, Talcher-Bimlagarh, Sambalpur-Rairakhol-Gopalpur, and Talcher-Gopalpur rail line projects.
The Union Minister said that under the Modi government, Odisha has become an execution center for the implementation of 'Pravhodaya', and the Railway Department has played a leading role in it. An airport has been built in Puri with the help of the Prime Minister.
Earlier, Veer Surendra Sai Airport came up in Jharsuguda. A ring road is planned to be constructed in Sambalpur at a cost of thousands of crores of rupees. Odisha's mining revenue has increased from 5,000 crores to 50,000 crores under the Modi government.
In the last 10 years, the Congress government has given Rs 3 lakh crore to Odisha, while the Modi government has given Rs 18 lakh crore. In the year 2022-23, including the central grant, the Odisha government has spent about Rs.38,700 crores to provide PM accommodation, piped water to the houses, basic facilities, etc., while only the railway department has given a grant of Rs.10,000 crore. Almost 6,000 telephone towers have been installed in Odisha.
Work has started for a new railway line from Bargarh-Nuapada line, Jharsuguda to Barkot.
The Union Minister said that by 2047 India will be a developed country.
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