Balangir, April 19: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday inaugurated the temporary buildings of Kendriya Vidyalayas (KV) and laid the foundation stone for two permanent campuses at Titilagarh and Patnagarh in Odisha's Balangir district.

"... We have laid the foundation stones of two central schools and given a humble push to take this aspirational district forward. The Union government has sanctioned Rs 30 crores each for these two schools... These schools will have a big impact on this district. 21 PM-SHRI schools have also been established in this district, which means that the central government is spending Rs 100 crores on school education in the district," Pradhan told reporters.

Odisha Deputy Chief Minister KV Singh Deo, State Minister Mukesh Mahaling, and BJP Balangir MP Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo were also present during the occasion.

The Union Minister, in a post on X, stated that the two schools will play a vital role in providing quality education to the students of the locality in the coming days and fulfilling their dreams of a bright future.

Pradhan, a Lok Sabha MP from Odisha's Sambalpur constituency, said that the "Double Engine" government is committed to freeing Balangir district from poverty by providing basic amenities to the people.

"I have a connection with the Balangir district. Balangir is a priority for the Double Engine government. The Double Engine government is committed to freeing Balangir district from poverty by providing basic amenities to the people here, along with the development of agriculture, healthcare, power, railways, and related infrastructure. Only with the development of Balangir district will a developed Odisha and a developed India be achieved. We will all take responsibility at the individual level to achieve this goal," Pradhan said in a post on X.

Earlier, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan held a padayatra and performed an aarti in Sambalpur as week-long Hanuman Jayanti celebrations culminated in Odisha on April 14. (ANI)