Prime Minister launched multiple development projects in Jharsuguda, Odisha, worth over ₹60,000 crore.
- Focus areas: Digital connectivity, higher education, skill development, health infrastructure, and social welfare.
- Transport boost: Flagged off the Amrit Bharat Express between Berhampur (Odisha) and Udhna (Surat, Gujarat) – connecting Odisha with Gujarat and linking several states including Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Maharashtra.
Telecom & Digital Connectivity
- BSNL 4G Rollout: Commissioned 97,500+ indigenous 4G towers at a cost of ₹37,000 crore.
- Global Milestone: India now among select nations (Denmark, Sweden, South Korea, China) producing its own telecom equipment.
- Features: Cloud-based, energy-efficient, upgrade-ready for 5G.
- Coverage Impact: To connect 26,700 unserved villages (including 2,472 villages in Odisha) benefiting ~2 million new subscribers.
- Green Telecom: Many towers are solar-powered, forming India’s largest green telecom cluster.
- Mission Mode Project: Implemented under Digital Bharat Nidhi → part of the 100% 4G saturation project, covering 30,000 villages nationwide.
Higher Education & Research
- IIT Expansion: Foundation laid for 8 IITs (Tirupati, Palakkad, Bhilai, Jammu, Dharwad, Jodhpur, Patna, Indore).
- Investment: ~₹11,000 crore.
- Capacity Creation: 10,000 new student seats + establishment of 8 research parks → boosting India’s R&D and innovation ecosystem.
- MERITE Scheme: Launched to improve quality, equity, research, and innovation across 275 state engineering & polytechnic institutions.
Skill Development
Odisha Skill Development Project – Phase II
- World Skill Centres at Sambalpur & Berhampur.
- Focus on AgriTech, Renewable Energy, Retail, Marine, Hospitality.
- ITI Upgradation: 5 ITIs → Utkarsh ITIs; 25 ITIs → Centres of Excellence.
- New Precision Engineering Building for advanced training.
Social Welfare
Antyodaya Gruha Yojana:
- Sanction orders distributed to 50,000 beneficiaries.
- Provides pucca houses + financial aid to vulnerable families (PwDs, widows, terminally ill, natural calamity victims).
Health Infrastructure
Upgradation of Medical Colleges:
- MKCG Medical College (Berhampur) and VIMSAR (Sambalpur) → to become world-class super-speciality hospitals.
- Facilities to include: increased bed capacity, trauma care, dental colleges, maternal & child health units, advanced academic facilities.
Digital Education:
- Wi-Fi Facilities: Introduced across 130 higher education institutions.
- Beneficiaries: 2.5 lakh students to get free daily data access.
Amrit Bharat Express:
- A new category of Indian Railways semi-express trains launched in 2023.
- Designed for affordability + speed, connecting tier-2 and tier-3 cities.
Digital Bharat Nidhi (earlier USOF – Universal Service Obligation Fund):
- Government initiative to promote telecom services in rural & remote areas.
- Supports projects like 100% 4G saturation.
Odisha Fact:
- Major cities: Bhubaneswar (capital), Cuttack (judicial capital), Rourkela, Sambalpur, Berhampur, Puri.
- Famous for: Chilika Lake, Jagannath Temple (Puri), Konark Sun Temple (UNESCO site), and Odissi dance.
BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited):
- Established in 2000.
- Plays a major role in government’s Digital India initiative.