Bhubaneswar, Feb 2: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday will inaugurate and lay the foundation of a slew of infrastructural projects worth more than Rs 68,000 crore during his visit to Odisha on Saturday.

"The grand campus of Indian Institute Of Management–Sambalpur built by the Education ministry with an outlay of Rs 400 crore will be inaugurated on Saturday. Sambalpur IIM has achieved the distinction as a leading educational institution of the country during the last ten years," said union education minister, Dharmendra Pradhan.

PM Modi is also scheduled to address a large political meeting at the Remed Ground in Sambalpur on Saturday.

Pradhan said there was a great excitement among the people in Odisha, especially in the western Odisha region.

PM Modi will address the first such big public gathering after the presentation of the interim budget and before the general elections. PM Modi will inaugurate 412 km-long 'Dhamra-Angul Pipeline Section' of 'Jagdishpur-Haldia & Bokaro-Dhamra Pipeline Project (JHBDPL)'.

Built at a cost of more than Rs 2,450 crore under the 'Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga', the project will connect Odisha with the National Gas Grid.

He will also lay the foundation stone of 'Nagpur Jharsuguda Natural Gas Pipeline Section' (692 km) of Mumbai-Nagpur-Jharsuguda Pipeline.

The project, which will be developed at a cost of more than Rs 2,660 crore, will improve the natural gas availability to states like Odisha, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh, said official sources.

PM Modi will also dedicate to nation and lay the foundation stone of multiple power projects worth about Rs 28,980 crore including the NTPC Darlipali Super Thermal Power Station (2x800 MW) and NSPCL Rourkela PP-II Expansion Project (1x250 MW) in Sundargarh district of Odisha.

He will also lay the foundation of NTPC Talcher Thermal Power Project, Stage-III (2x660 MW) in Angul district and the Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) Talabira Thermal power project worth more than Rs 27,000 crore.

This apart, the Prime Minister will inaugurate coal infrastructure projects of Mahanadi Coalfields Limited worth around Rs 2,145 crore, which include the First Mile Connectivity (FMC) projects -- Bhubaneswari Phase-I in Talcher Coalfields in Angul and Lajkura Rapid Loading System (RLS).

PM Modi will also inaugurate Ib Valley Washery, built at a cost of over Rs 550 crore in Jharsuguda district and a 50 km long second track of Jharsuguda-Barpali-Sardega rail line Phase-1 built by Mahanadi Coalfields Limited, with an investment of Rs 878 crore. Similarly, three road sector projects of National Highways, developed at a cumulative cost of about Rs 2,110 crore will be inaugurated by the Prime Minister.

"Further, the PM will dedicate to the nation and lay the foundation stone of railway projects worth about Rs 2,146 crore. He will lay the foundation stone for redevelopment of Sambalpur Railway Station, whose architecture is inspired from the Sailashree Palace," said official sources.

(IANS)

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