Prime Minister Narendra Modi kicked off major development projects worth more than Rs 60,000 crore in Jharsuguda, Odisha, on Thursday. During the event, he took sharp digs at the Congress party, accusing them of always finding ways to “loot” people. Modi highlighted how his BJP government has ushered in an era of double savings and double income for ordinary Indians.
Modi laid the foundation stone for initiatives across key areas like telecommunications, railways, higher education, healthcare, skill development, and rural housing. In telecom, he launched over 97,500 mobile 4G towers built at a cost of about Rs 37,000 crore using homegrown Indian technology. This includes more than 92,600 sites rolled out by BSNL, India’s state-owned telecom giant.
A big chunk of these—over 18,900 4G sites—comes from the Digital Bharat Nidhi fund. They’ll connect around 26,700 remote villages, including those in border areas and regions hit by left-wing extremism, reaching over 20 lakh new users. These solar-powered towers form India’s largest cluster of green telecom sites, pushing forward sustainable infrastructure goals.
Modi beamed with pride over BSNL’s achievement in developing fully indigenous 4G technology right here in India. He praised the team’s dedication and said Indian firms have now placed the country among just five nations worldwide with homegrown 4G capabilities. “India is taking huge steps toward self-reliance,” Modi declared, recalling how the nation once trailed behind in 2G, 3G, and 4G rollouts, relying heavily on foreign tech. That dependency, he added, sparked a national drive to build our own telecom innovations.
Shifting to economic reforms, Modi touted his government’s GST changes and income tax cuts. He reminded the crowd of the old days under Congress, when people earning up to Rs 2 lakh still faced taxes. Now, under BJP, no one pays income tax on earnings up to Rs 12 lakh a year. “You know how things were before. Congress never missed a chance to loot you,” Modi said. “In 2014, when you chose us, we broke free from that loot system. Today, it’s the time of double savings and double income.”
He pointed fingers at Congress-ruled Himachal Pradesh, claiming they block central relief efforts. For instance, when the center cut GST rates to lower prices nationwide, Congress states hiked their own taxes on fuel, cement, and more to keep costs high and fill their pockets. “Wherever Congress is in power, they loot the people,” Modi charged.
Modi spotlighted fresh GST reforms rolled out across India, including Odisha, starting September 22. He called it a “savings festival” that eases kitchen budgets for moms and sisters. Prices on everyday essentials have dropped sharply. Take a typical Odisha family spending Rs 1 lakh a year on groceries—back before 2014, they’d shell out Rs 20,000 to 25,000 in taxes. After GST launched in 2017, that fell, and now it’s just Rs 5,000 to 6,000. Families save Rs 15,000 to 20,000 yearly compared to opposition rule.
Odisha’s farmers stand to gain big too. Modi noted that buying a tractor used to cost Rs 70,000 in taxes under the old system. Now, with GST tweaks, it’s down to about Rs 30,000—a Rs 40,000 saving. Similar cuts apply to paddy transplanters (Rs 15,000 off), power tillers (Rs 10,000), and threshers (up to Rs 25,000). The government has slashed taxes on many farm tools to boost agriculture.
For Odisha’s large tribal communities relying on forest produce like kendu leaves, GST rates on these items have dropped too, ensuring better prices for collectors. Modi stressed his administration’s push for ongoing tax relief and savings, while slamming the opposition for exploitation.
Women and families top the government’s priorities, Modi said. He launched into a heartfelt nod to mothers who sacrifice everything, often hiding their health issues to avoid extra costs. That’s why schemes like Ayushman Bharat exist, offering free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh—and it’s helped countless women.
On railways, Modi dedicated projects to enhance connectivity and growth. He laid the foundation for a rail flyover at Sambalpur-Sarla, dedicated the doubling of the Koraput-Baiguda line, and the Manabar-Koraput-Gorapur line. These upgrades will speed up freight and passenger traffic in Odisha and nearby states, fueling industries and trade. He also flagged off the Amrit Bharat Express from Berhampur to Udhna in Surat, offering comfy, affordable travel that boosts tourism, jobs, and links economic hubs.
In education, Modi greenlit expansions for eight IITs—including Tirupati, Palakkad, Bhilai, Jammu, Dharwad, Jodhpur, Patna, and Indore—at a Rs 11,000 crore investment. This will add spots for 10,000 new students in four years and create eight cutting-edge research parks to supercharge India’s innovation drive.
He launched the MERITE scheme to upgrade 275 state engineering and polytechnic colleges, focusing on quality, equity, research, and innovation. For skills, Modi kicked off Odisha Skill Development Project Phase II, setting up World Skill Centres in Sambalpur and Berhampur for hot sectors like AgriTech, renewable energy, retail, marine, and hospitality. Five ITIs will become Utkarsh ITIs, 25 more will turn into excellence centers, and a new precision engineering building will offer top training.
To boost digital learning, he dedicated free Wi-Fi to 130 higher education institutions in Odisha, giving 2.5 lakh students daily data access.
Modi also handed out sanction letters to 50,000 beneficiaries under the Antyodaya Gruha Yojana, providing solid homes and aid to vulnerable rural folks like the disabled, widows, terminally ill, and disaster victims.
Wrapping up, Modi expressed deep trust in Odisha’s talented people and its natural riches. Despite past poverty, he promised prosperity in the next decade through big projects. The center just approved two semiconductor units and a semiconductor park for the state, harnessing the youth’s potential. Imagine Odisha making the tiny chips that power phones, TVs, fridges, computers, and cars, Modi envisioned.
He recommitted to self-reliance—from chips to ships. A massive industrial corridor is rising from Paradip to Jharsuguda. On shipbuilding, key for trade, tech, and security, Modi announced a Rs 70,000 crore package. It could draw Rs 4.5 lakh crore in investments, spanning steel, machinery, electronics, and manufacturing—especially lifting small industries. This will create millions of jobs and huge wins for Odisha’s economy and young workers.
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