BHUBANESWAR: The 82nd statehood day of
Odisha - Utkal Divas was celebrated with much pomp and glory across the state on Sunday. Politics took centre stage as political parties used the occasion to outshine each other in showing off their love for the state and the leaders participated in a series of events to mark the occasion.
Paying tribute to all leaders who contributed for the formation of Odisha state, Chief minister
Naveen Patnaik said, “Odisha has achieved much success in the last 80 years. Our growth rate has surpassed the national rate. Poverty has gone down. Per head income has increased. Odisha has become an ideal state for the welfare of poor. In sports infrastructure Odisha has created a niche in international sphere.”
He also mentioned how Odisha got international recognition in management of natural disaster and Bhubaneswar as a smart city could secure a place among the global cities. Odisha is also much ahead of other states in ease of doing business and coat of doing business as per the report of Asian Development Bank, Naveen added.
Earlier on the day CM inaugurated Utkal Gaurav Madhu Sudan Setu over Mahanadi at Nuapatna near Cuttack. Besides, leaders of the ruling BJD and ministers participated in various district and block level events organised on the occasion.
Meanwhile the Union petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan also participated in many events organised parallel to the state events. His day began before sunrise when he took pledge with thousands of youth and launched ‘Nua Odishara Nirmana Abhiyan’ at Chandrabhaga beach in Konark. Upendra Maharana, successor of Bisu Maharana and Dharama- the architects of
Konark Sun Temple, administered the pledge to work for development of Odisha in all spheres.
Pradhan also inaugurated the world-class Interpretation Centre and tourist facilities at Konark Sun Temple. “There world class facilities will help in projecting Odisha and Konark in the world tourism map and help in attracting more tourists to the state,” he added.
Later in the evening the grand Utkal Divas celebration organised by Kalinga Association for Protection of Culture and Heritage (KAPOCH) was disrupted due to rain where Pradhan was the chief guest.
PCC president Prasad harichandam slammed both BJD and
BJP for engaging in rat race to gain political mileage on Utkal Divas. He said, “Both the parties have no sincerity for Odisha’s development rather they are engaged in their show of strength on Utkal Divas.”
