Puri: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Odisha on September 17 to launch the ‘Subhadra Yojana’, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said here on Sunday.
He said Puri will be transformed into a modern, developed, religious place. The development of Puri is related to the development of the entire state, the union minister said.
He said this was an election promise made by the BJP during the polls. After the formation of the BJP government in the state, the Chief Minister and his two deputies met the Prime Minister and requested that he launch the Subhadra Yojana in the state. The BJP targets creating three lakh crore Laksyapati Didis (sisters) in the country, according to Pradhan.
The state government has written a letter to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct repairs to the Ratna Bhandar of Sri Jagannath temple, Pradhan added. Adequate funds will be allocated in the budget for tourism development in the state. From Gopalpur to Digha, a 400-kilometre coastal highway will be constructed connecting Rameswar, Tangi, Chilika, and Satapara, he said. The union minister elaborated on the recently announced Unified Pension Scheme (UPS).
Local parliament member Sambit Patra said the detailed project report (DPR) for the Puri Greenfield Sri Jagannath International Airport will be submitted to the union government as soon as possible. Efforts are on to boost tourism in the state, he said.
The union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Deputy Chief Ministers Kanakbardhan Singhdeo and Pravati Parida, Minister of Law Prithviraj Harichandan, and local MP Dr. Sambit Patra inaugurated the first five-star hotel in Puri, “Swosthi Premium Beach Resorts,” in a formal gathering of hoteliers and local elites, including MLAs Upasana Mahapatra of Brahamgiri, Om Prakash Mishra of Satyabadi, Asrit Patnaik of Pipili, Babu Singh of Ekamra, and Sunil Mohanty of Puri. District Collector Sidharth Shankar Swain and police officers were present.
JK Mohanty, the promoter and managing director of Swosti Group of hotels, informed us that the entire hotel has been given an aesthetic look. It showcases Odishan art, culture, and cuisine for visitors. It has 125 modern and luxurious suites with a swimming pool, gym, grand convention hall, spa, game room, and kids’ corner.
Mohanty said the Swosti group of hotels has generated 1500 jobs, and with the addition of this new unit, another three hundred got direct employment. Earlier, the ministers went to the Sri Jagannath temple and offered prayers to the Trinity.
