Bhubaneswar, July 22: Governor Raghubar Das on Monday addressed the first session of 17th Odisha Legislative Assembly.

In his address, the Governor said that the government will ensure all-round development of the State by keeping Odia Asmita at its focal point.

"By keeping Odia Asmita at the centre, my government is resolved to take Odisha to the pinnacle of progress by offering vigilant, willing, transparent and sensitive governance," the Governor said.

"In line with the national vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047, my Government recognises the importance of a ―Viksit Odisha, which can turn itself to be the growth engine, propelling the nation’s progress in the Amrit Kal," he added.

With the blessings of our Aradhya Prabhu Shri Jagannath and the support of the people, my Government is committed to working round the clock and leaving no stone unturned to achieve the dreams and aspirations of every Odia, he added.

“My government will ensure the recruitment of 1.5 lakh vacant posts in a fair and transparent manner, with 65,000 positions to be filled within the next two years,” the Governor said.

The Governor also said that the State government will establish 10 lakh houses in rural areas and 5 lakh houses in urban areas under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana

The Governor also said that the government will establish counselling centres in schools and facilitate career counselling from Class IX.

The government will launch a new sports policy with focus on providing infrastructure for players starting from the village level to creating a support ecosystem, he added.

Meanwhile, three-layer security arrangements have been made in and around the state assembly for the session, which will continue till September 13.

In the 147-member assembly, the BJP has 78 members, the BJD 51, the Congress 14, and the CPI one, while there are also three Independent MLAs.

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