देश

Jharsuguda (Odisha) [India], September 27 (ANI): Prime Minister and laid the foundation stone of development works worth over Rs 60,000 crore in Jharsuguda in Odisha and took jibes at the Congress, alleging that the party “never missed a chance to loot you” and that “the era of double savings and double income has begun”.

The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of projects spanning across telecommunications, railways, higher education, healthcare, skill development, rural housing sectors, among others.

In the field of telecom connectivity, the Prime Minister commissioned more than 97,500 mobile 4G towers built at a cost of around Rs.37,000 crore with swadeshi technology. This includes more than 92,600 4G technology sites commissioned by BSNL.

Over 18,900 4G sites have been funded under the Digital Bharat Nidhi which will connect around 26,700 unconnected villages in remote, border, and left-wing extremism-affected areas, serving over 20 lakh new subscribers. These towers are solar-powered, making them India’s largest cluster of green telecom sites and a step forward in sustainable infrastructure.

Prime Minister expressed pride that BSNL has successfully developed a fully indigenous 4G technology within India. He lauded BSNL’s dedication, perseverance, and expertise in creating this milestone. He further highlighted that Indian companies have now positioned India among the select five countries in the world that possess completely indigenous technology to launch 4G services.

“India has taken a significant step towards self-reliance,” he said. PM Modi recalled that when telecom services like 2G, 3G, and 4G were introduced globally, India lagged behind and remained dependent on foreign technology for these services. He emphasized that such a situation was not suitable for the country, which led to a national resolve to develop essential telecom technologies indigenously

The Prime Minister referred to the “GST reforms” brought by his government and the income tax relief to people.

“You know well what the situation was earlier. Congress never missed a chance to loot you. In 2014, when you chose us, we freed you from Congress’s loot system. Under the BJP government, the era of double savings and double income has begun,” he said.

He contrasted the past, noting that during the previous dispensation regime, employees and businesspersons had to pay tax even on incomes up to ₹2 lakh. In contrast, he highlighted that today, individuals earning up to Rs 12 lakh annually are not required to pay even a single rupee in income tax.

“The Congress government is in power in Himachal. The Congress has gotten into the habit of hurling all sorts of abuses at me. When we reduced the GST rates, prices came down across the country, but Congress does not want to give this relief to the common people. Earlier, when we had reduced the prices of diesel and petrol, wherever there were Congress governments, they imposed a second tax on diesel and petrol there, keeping the prices the same and filling their own coffers. When our government reduced the price of cement, the Congress government in Himachal imposed its own tax. The benefit that the Government of India wanted to give to the people of Himachal was blocked by the Congress. Wherever the Congress government is, it will loot the people there,” PM Modi added.

Mentioning that new GST reforms have been implemented nationwide, including in Odisha, from 22nd September 2025, the Prime Minister described these reforms as a gift of savings for all, especially making kitchen expenses more affordable for mothers and sisters. He stated that the prices of most essential items have significantly reduced. Illustrating with an example, he explained that a family in Odisha spending Rs one lakh annually on groceries and other essentials used to pay Rs 20,000-Rs 25,000 in taxes under the then ruling government before 2014.

After the introduction of GST by their Government in 2017, this tax amount was reduced and now, the tax burden has been brought down substantially, with families paying only ₹5,000-₹6,000 annually. He emphasized that compared to the opposition era, families now save ₹15,000-₹20,000 per year on such expenses.

Affirming that Odisha is a land of farmers and highlighted that the GST Savings Festival is highly beneficial for them, the Prime Minister recalled that during the opposition era, farmers had to pay RS 70,000 in tax when purchasing a tractor. With the introduction of GST, the tax was reduced, and under the new GST structure, farmers now save approximately Rs 40,000 on the same tractor. He added that machines used for paddy transplantation now offer a saving of Rs 15,000, power tillers Rs 10,000, and threshers up to Rs 25,000.

PM Modi emphasized that their government has significantly lowered taxes on numerous agricultural tools and equipment.

Noting that Odisha is home to a large tribal population, which depends on forest produce for livelihood, the Prime Minister noted that the government has already been working for kendu leaf collectors and has now significantly reduced GST on this item, ensuring better prices for the collectors.

He emphasized that their government is consistently providing tax relief and increasing savings for citizens, while accusing the opposition of continuing exploitative practices.

PM Modi stated that the GST Savings Festival has brought the greatest joy to mothers and sisters. He emphasized that serving women and daughters is a top priority for the government, with a strong focus on their health.

He acknowledged the sacrifices made by mothers for their families, noting how they bear every hardship to shield their children and often hide their own illnesses to avoid burdening the household with medical expenses. The Prime Minister highlighted that this is precisely why the Ayushman Bharat Yojana was launched, which has significantly benefited women by providing free medical treatment up to Rs 5 lakh.

PM Modi laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation important railway projects that will boost connectivity and regional growth. These include foundation stone for Rail Flyover at Sambalpur-Sarla, dedication to the nation of the doubling of the Koraput-Baiguda line, and the Manabar-Koraput-Gorapur line. These projects will significantly improve freight and passenger movement in Odisha and neighbouring states, strengthening local industries and trade. Prime Minister also flagged off the Amrit Bharat Express between Berhampur and Udhna (Surat), providing affordable and comfortable connectivity across states, supporting tourism, creating employment opportunities, and linking key economic districts.

Prime Minister laid the foundation stones for the expansion of eight IITs–Tirupati, Palakkad, Bhilai, Jammu, Dharwad, Jodhpur, Patna, and Indore–at an investment of around Rs.11,000 crore. The expansion will create capacity for 10,000 new students over the next four years and will establish eight state-of-the-art research parks, thereby strengthening India’s innovation ecosystem and providing a strong push to research and development.

Prime Minister launched the MERITE scheme designed to improve quality, equity, research, and innovation in 275 state engineering and polytechnic institutions across the country.

Prime Minister also launched Odisha Skill Development Project Phase II which will establish World Skill Centres in Sambalpur and Berhampur, covering emerging sectors such as AgriTech, Renewable Energy, Retail, Marine, and Hospitality. Further, five ITIs will be upgraded into Utkarsh ITIs, 25 ITIs will be developed as Centres of Excellence, and a new Precision Engineering Building will provide advanced technical training.

To enhance digital education in the state, Prime Minister dedicated Wi-Fi facilities across 130 higher education institutions, providing free daily data access to benefit more than 2.5 lakh students.

PM Modi distributed sanction orders to 50,000 beneficiaries under the Antyodaya Gruha Yojana. The scheme provides pucca houses and financial assistance to vulnerable rural families, including persons with disabilities, widows, individuals suffering from terminal illness, and victims of natural calamities.

Expressing his enduring faith in the capabilities and talent of the people of Odisha, the Prime Minister noted that nature has blessed Odisha abundantly. While acknowledging that Odisha has endured decades of poverty, he affirmed that the coming decade will usher in prosperity for its people.

To achieve this, the government is bringing major projects to the state. He announced that the Central Government has recently approved two semiconductor units for Odisha, and a semiconductor park is also set to be established, crediting the strength and potential of the youth of Odisha. PM Modi envisioned a future where the small chip used in phones, televisions, refrigerators, computers, cars, and many other devices will be manufactured in Odisha.

The Prime Minister reaffirmed the government’s resolve to achieve self-reliance in every domain–from chips to ships. He stated that a vast industrial corridor is being developed from Paradip to Jharsuguda. Emphasizing the strategic importance of shipbuilding, he noted that any nation aspiring for economic strength must invest in this sector, as it benefits trade, technology, and national security.

PM Modi said that having indigenous ships ensures uninterrupted import-export operations even during global crises. The Prime Minister referred to major initiative by the government–a Rs 70,000 crore package for shipbuilding in India. He projected that this would attract Rs 4.5 lakh crore in investments, reaching sectors such as steel, machinery, electronics, and manufacturing, especially benefiting small and cottage industries. He highlighted that this would generate millions of new jobs and bring significant advantages to Odisha’s industries and youth. (ANI)

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