Sambalpur (Odisha): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the eco-friendly permanent campus of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in Sambalpur.
On this occasion, Governor Raghubar Das, Chief Minister Naveen Pattanaik, Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Railways, Communications and Electronics & Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Jal Shakti and Tribal Affairs Bishweswar Tudu and other dignitaries were also present.
PM Modi had laid the foundation stone for the permanent campus of IIM Sambalpur via video conferencing on January 2, 2021.
Prime Minister is on a visit to Odisha and Assam on February 3-4.
On the occasion, PM Modi recalled laying the foundation stone of IIM (Indian Institute of Management) during the pandemic and praised those associated with its completion amidst all the obstacles.
Prime Minister Modi also inaugurated, dedicated to the nation as he laid foundation stone of projects worth more than Rs 68,000 crore in Sambalpur, Odisha aimed at boosting the energy sector involving natural gas, coal and power generation apart from important projects of road, railway and higher education sector.
PM Modi also took a walkthrough of the IIM Sambalpur model and a photo exhibition showcased on the occasion.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said that today is a significant occasion for the development journey of Odisha as development projects worth approximately Rs 70,000 crores are launched today in the sectors of education, railway, roads, electricity and petroleum.
PM Modi underlined that the people of Odisha belonging to the poor section, labourers, working class, business owners and farmers among all other sections of society will reap the benefits of today's development projects. He further added that it will also create thousands of new employment opportunities for the youth of Odisha.
The Prime Minister said that in order to make Odisha a hub of education, and skill development, continuous efforts have been put in by the Central government. "The fate of Odisha's youth has changed with the setting up of modern educational institutes like IISER Berhampur and Bhubaneshwar's Institute of Chemical Technology in the last decade. Now, with the establishment of IIM Sambalpur as a modern institute of management, the state's role is being further strengthened," PM Modi said.