The Indian prime minister has inaugurated development projects worth over Rs 600 billion in Odisha, covering telecom, railways, healthcare, higher education, and skill development. He mentioned that Odisha is “advancing at the speed of a double engine,” with progress driving both state and national growth.
He also launched Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited’s (BSNL) fully indigenous 4G ‘Swadeshi network stack’. Marking the commissioning of more than 97,500 BSNL towers built at a cost of Rs 370 billion, including 92,600 new BSNL sites, the prime minister underscored the scale of the rollout. Over 18,900 towers funded through the Digital Bharat Nidhi will extend connectivity to 26,700 unserved villages, many in remote and border regions. The solar-powered towers constitute India’s largest cluster of green telecom sites.
The towers are spread across Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Assam, Gujarat, and Bihar.
Meanwhile, the prime minister announced centre’s approval of two semiconductor units in Odisha to strengthen local industry. Further, reaffirming his government’s push for self-reliance, he highlighted the recently approved Rs 700 billion shipbuilding package, describing it as vital for both national security and economic strength.
