Bhubaneswar, Jan 7: Ahead of the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Odisha, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi launched electric double-decker bus service here on Tuesday.

The Chief Minister launched five electric double-decker buses, 10 Hop-On Hop-Off buses and 25 e-buses belonging to Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), Puri at a special event held at Mo Bus depot at Gadakana in the State Capital this afternoon.  

During the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention, the double-decker buses will run from Bhubaneswar-Cuttack to Puri for the NRIs, while Hop-On Hop-Off buses will ply in various tourist places in Bhubaneswar. The SJTA buses will run in Puri only, sources said.

Housing And Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra, Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi, MLA Babu Singh and senior bureaucrats were, among others, present during the launching ceremony.  

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is celebrated once in every two years to strengthen the engagement of the overseas Indian community with the Government of India and reconnect them with their cultural roots.

The 18th PBD Convention is being held from 8th-10th January, 2025 in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. The theme of the 18th PBD Convention 2025 is "Diaspora's Contribution to a Viksit Bharat".

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