Amit Shah inaugurates the construction work of Kamakhyanagar-Duburi section of NH-53 in Odisha
Bhubaneswar (IANS). Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday inaugurated the four-laning of Kamakhyanagar-Duburi section of NH-53 here in the presence of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Shah also laid the foundation stone of another highway project to widen and strengthen the road from Motar to Banar via Ludugaon Road in Kalahandi district.
In the Kamakhyanagar-Duburi project, a cost of Rs 761 crore will be spent on four-laning of 51 km of road.
The project will connect the mineral-rich Angul and Dhenkanal districts to Odisha and other parts of the country, Shah said.
This includes two major bridges, 10 minor bridges, seven vehicular underpasses, two animal-underpasses and a 1.73 km long bypass road.
Shah said that the development and economic growth of the country is directly linked to the national highways. The Modi government has taken several steps for the development of the NH during the last nine years.
The Union Home Minister further said that the 15 kilometer project from Motar to Baner in Kalahandi district would be constructed at a cost of Rs 34 crore.
The Union Home Minister said that in 2014-15 only 12 km of National Highways were constructed per day in the country, which has been increased to 29 km per day in the year 2020-22.
He said, “Odisha got Rs 1.14 lakh crore from devolution funds and grants-in-aid during the UPA government. This amount has been increased to Rs 4.57 lakh crore. The total funding amount to Odisha has been increased from Rs.3 lakh crore to Rs.18 lakh crore. The Modi government will leave no stone unturned for the development of Odisha.
Over the course of nine years, there has been a dramatic reduction in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) activities across the country, including Odisha.
The home minister said, “The incidents of left-wing extremism have come down by 30 per cent between 2015 and 2019, while casualties in Naxal attacks have come down by 32 per cent.” has decreased.”
The Chief Minister said that connectivity is the key to progress and empowerment of the people. He said that the annual budget of the Works Department was Rs 280 crore in the year 2000, which has now increased to more than Rs 15,000 crore.
He said, “Odisha has always believed in cooperative federalism and I thank the Government of India for supporting the development agenda of the state. I once again extend a warm welcome to Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Odisha.
Meanwhile, Dharmendra Pradhan said the Modi government has provided Rs 18.83 lakh crore to Odisha, while the previous government provided Rs 2.93 lakh crore to the state during 2004 to 2014.
Shah, who arrived here on Friday night, will hold important meetings with state BJP party leaders this afternoon.
He is also likely to chalk out a strategy for the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. He will return to Delhi on Saturday evening.
