Bhubaneswar, Oct 27 (IANS) Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday flagged off a special train from Bhubaneswar New Railway Station carrying nearly 1,000 delegates from 19 Naxal-free districts of Odisha to Gujarat to participate in the national parade marking the 151st birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Rashtriya Ekta Diwas on October 31.
The representatives will attend the parade near the Statue of Unity at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat, symbolising Odisha’s progress towards peace, security and development, the Chief Minister said.
Paying tribute to Patel, Majhi said the country’s first Deputy Prime Minister had built a Unified India by merging more than 550 princely states through his exceptional leadership and determination.
He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been observing Patel’s birth anniversary as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas every year since assuming office in 2014.
CM Majhi asserted that this year’s national-level unity parade will reflect the picture of a completely Naxal-free India. Majhi attributed the achievement of making Odisha and the country Naxal-free to the leadership of Union Home Minister Amit Shah under the guidance of the Prime Minister and the efforts of security forces at the national and state levels.
“Highest priority is being given to social and economic development along with infrastructure construction in Naxal-affected areas. Particularly in 10 affected districts, various public welfare schemes are being delivered to the actual beneficiaries in an integrated manner through the ‘Gramodaya Plus’ scheme, enabling them to join the mainstream,” said Majhi.
The Chief Minister said that the collective efforts of the country’s 140 crore citizens are continuing to realise the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’.
On the occasion, Majhi also announced that the Centre has approved a new express train service between Puri and Badampahar in Mayurbhanj district.
He further informed that President Droupadi Murmu is scheduled to inaugurate the service in the first week of November. The proposed train service is expected to improve connectivity among six districts—Puri, Khordha, Kataka, Jajpur, Kendujhar and Mayurbhanj—strengthening rail links across the state.
–IANS
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