New Delhi, Sep 26 (NationPress) Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Odisha on Saturday, where he will lay the foundation stone and inaugurate a series of development initiatives valued at over Rs 60,000 crore in Jharsuguda, as stated in an official announcement on Friday.

The projects encompass various sectors, including telecommunications, railways, higher education, healthcare, skill development, and rural housing. The Prime Minister will also address a public gathering during the event.

In terms of enhancing telecom connectivity, he will inaugurate over 97,500 mobile 4G towers, constructed at an expenditure of approximately Rs 37,000 crore using indigenous technology, as per the statement.

This initiative includes more than 92,600 4G technology sites established by BSNL.

Funding has been allocated for over 18,900 4G sites under the Digital Bharat Nidhi, aimed at connecting around 26,700 unconnected villages in remote, border, and left-wing extremism-affected regions, serving more than 20 lakh new subscribers.

These towers are solar-powered, creating India’s largest cluster of green telecom sites and advancing sustainable infrastructure.

The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation and dedicate significant railway projects to the nation that will enhance connectivity and stimulate regional economic growth.

These include the foundation stone for the Rail Flyover at Sambalpur–Sarla, along with the dedication of the doubling of the Koraput–Baiguda line and the Manabar–Koraput–Gorapur line.

These initiatives will markedly enhance freight and passenger transport within Odisha and neighboring states, bolstering local industries and commerce.

During his visit, the Prime Minister will also flag off the Amrit Bharat Express connecting Berhampur and Udhna (Surat), offering affordable and comfortable travel across states, supporting tourism, creating job opportunities, and linking essential economic districts.

Additionally, PM Modi will lay the foundation stones for the expansion of eight IITs— Tirupati, Palakkad, Bhilai, Jammu, Dharwad, Jodhpur, Patna, and Indore—with an investment of about Rs 11,000 crore.

This expansion will accommodate 10,000 new students over the next four years and establish eight state-of-the-art research parks, significantly enhancing India’s innovation ecosystem and advancing research and development.

The Prime Minister will unveil the MERITE scheme, aimed at improving quality, equity, research, and innovation in 275 state engineering and polytechnic institutions nationwide, as indicated in the statement.

He will also launch the Odisha Skill Development Project Phase II, which will set up World Skill Centres in Sambalpur and Berhampur, focusing on emerging sectors such as AgriTech, Renewable Energy, Retail, Marine, and Hospitality.

Moreover, five ITIs will be upgraded to Utkarsh ITIs, and 25 ITIs will be developed as Centres of Excellence. A new Precision Engineering Building will also be established to offer advanced technical training.

To bolster digital education in the state, PM Modi will inaugurate Wi-Fi facilities in 130 higher education institutions, providing free daily data access to benefit over 2.5 lakh students.

The healthcare infrastructure in Odisha will receive a substantial enhancement during the Prime Minister’s visit, as he will lay the foundation for upgrading MKCG Medical College in Berhampur and VIMSAR in Sambhalpur into world-class super-speciality hospitals.

The upgraded facilities will feature increased bed capacity, trauma care units, dental colleges, maternal and child care services, and expanded academic infrastructure, ensuring comprehensive health services for the populace of Odisha.

Additionally, the Prime Minister will distribute sanction orders to 50,000 beneficiaries under the Antyodaya Gruha Yojana, which provides 'pucca' houses and financial support to vulnerable rural families, including those with disabilities, widows, individuals with terminal illnesses, and victims of natural disasters.

This initiative embodies the government’s dedication to social welfare and dignity for the most marginalized segments of society.