New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday rolled out several infrastructure and social sector projects in Odisha aimed at boosting job creation and living standards.

The projects have an estimated cost of ₹ 14,000 crore, including those inaugurated by Modi, besides some, for which work has commenced.

The Prime Minister said the projects will be in higher education, health, natural gas and roads, besides other social welfare projects. “All these will improve the quality of life in Odisha. The government has been giving priority to the balanced development of the country."

The projects inaugurated include an Indian Institute of Technology at Bhubaneswar, set up at a cost of ₹ 1,260 crore, fulfilling a long-standing demand of the state. Modi also announced that work has commenced for an Indian Institute of Science Education and Research.

The state will also get 1,150 health and wellness centres. Modi said the Centre is also making efforts on improving connectivity, which will improve business and trade activities. Work has commenced on a Rs4,000 crore pipeline project, he said. “Once the pipeline becomes operational, Odisha will become the petroleum hub of eastern India."

Modi also laid the foundation stone of the Bokaro-Angul section of the Jagdishpur-Haldia and Bokaro-Dhamra pipeline, paving the way for the supply of natural gas for households, vehicles and industries across 11 districts in Odisha and Jharkhand. Of the 667-km Bokaro-Angul section, which is being constructed by GAIL (India) Ltd, 367 km will be in Odisha and 300 km in Jharkhand.

The ₹ 3,400-crore project is scheduled to be completed by December 2020. The pipeline is expected to give access to cooking fuel to many households and reduce vehicular pollution. It will also cater to the energy demands of steel and aluminum industries, among others.

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