Women empowerment key to Odisha’s development: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said women empowerment is key to development of Odisha, asserting that the third NDA government at the Centre, in its first 100 days, has taken a slew of steps for their welfare.

Addressing a rally in Bhubaneswar, he said the promises made by the BJP before the election this year were being fulfilled at a “rapid pace”.

“In the first 100 days of the third NDA government, major steps were taken for upliftment of the poor, farmers and youth along with the empowerment of women.

“Women’s empowerment is key to Odisha’s development,” PM Modi said after launching the state government’s flagship Subhadra Yojana, a women-centric scheme of the Odisha government.

Under the scheme, all eligible beneficiaries between the age group of 21-60 years would receive Rs 50,000 over a period of five years between 2024-25 and 2028-29.

“As promised, we opened Ratna Bhandar at Puri’s Jagannath temple after coming to power in the state,” he said.

PM Modi also announced that the Centre has decided to add 75,000 medical seats in the country.

“In the first 100 days of the third NDA government at the Centre, we decided to build 3 crore pucca houses for poor people.”

PM Modi unveiled railway and national highway projects worth over Rs 3,800 crore in the state.

Modi laid the foundation stones and dedicated to the nation railway projects worth Rs 2,871 crore in the state.

He also launched national highway projects worth Rs 1,000 crore at a programme at Janata Maidan here.