Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Odisha on Saturday, where he will be joined by President Droupadi Murmu. During the visit, the two leaders will inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for development projects worth more than ₹47,600 crore across the state. The projects are aimed at strengthening the energy, transport, healthcare, irrigation, railway, tribal development and urban infrastructure sectors.
The visit is being viewed as significant for Odisha’s development agenda and is expected to support infrastructure expansion and economic activity in eastern India.
The programme will begin in Pahadpur village of Mayurbhanj district, where Prime Minister Modi and President Murmu will visit sacred groves associated with the Santhali and Ho communities and engage with local cultural and tribal traditions. They will also visit a skill development centre and a local school. According to government officials, the programme is intended to promote education, skill development and socio-economic empowerment among tribal communities.
Later in the day, the Prime Minister and the President will participate in a special event in Rairangpur marking two years of the Odisha government. Under the theme “Vikas Dhara, Odisha Sara”, several major state projects will be inaugurated and launched. Prime Minister Modi will also address a public gathering and outline the state’s development roadmap.
Among the key projects is the 600 MW Upper Indravati Pumped Storage Project. The foundation stone will also be laid for two new 660 MW units under the second-phase expansion of the IB Thermal Power Station. These projects are expected to enhance Odisha’s power generation capacity and support industrial growth.
The foundation stone of the Bharat Coal Gasification and Chemicals Limited (BCGCL) project in Jharsuguda district will also be laid. The project is intended to enable cleaner and more efficient utilisation of domestic coal and reduce dependence on imported fuel. It is expected to create opportunities for investment, industrial activity and employment in the region.
Several road and transport projects will be launched during the visit, including the Kathajodi River Bridge connecting Cuttack and Bhubaneswar, national highway projects and road-widening works across multiple districts. In the railway sector, the Jakhapura–Jajpur Keonjhar Road–Baitarani Road multi-tracking project and the Hindol Road–Meramandali multi-tracking project will be inaugurated to improve freight and passenger movement.
A new 300-bed District Headquarters Hospital building in Boudh district will also be inaugurated. In addition, 24 Atal Bus Stands and nine Automated Vehicle Testing Centres across different parts of the state will be launched. The projects are expected to strengthen healthcare services and public transport infrastructure in Odisha.
