3 min readBhubaneswarUpdated: Jun 20, 2026 08:57 PM IST
Reiterating his government’s ‘Purvodaya’ mission, which emphasises the development of eastern India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the region, once synonymous with backwardness during the Congress era, is now becoming a gateway to progress.
“The vision of the central government is the development of India through the development of Eastern India. The Purvodaya policy is unlocking the immense potential of the eastern states,” Modi said while addressing a rally at Rairangpur in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district.
The Prime Minister inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for various development projects worth over Rs 47,600 crore at the programme, organised to mark two years of the BJP government in Odisha.
President Droupadi Murmu, who hails from Mayurbhanj, was also present. Modi visited her in-laws’ village, Pahadpur, and offered prayers at the sacred groves — Santhali Jahera and Ho Jahera. He also extended birthday greetings to the President.
Hailing the “double-engine government” — with the BJP in power both at the Centre and in Odisha — Modi said it has been “accelerating the state’s development journey and transforming the lives of ordinary citizens through welfare schemes, investments, industrial growth and employment opportunities”.
“Under the double-engine government, governance is being taken directly to the people, ensuring that citizens do not have to run from office to office for solutions to their problems. As a result, the aspirations of youth, women, farmers and ordinary citizens are increasingly being fulfilled,” he added.
Underlining that the state is witnessing rapid progress across sectors, Modi said the Centre and state government are working together to fully harness Odisha’s strengths through record investments in railway infrastructure, highways, economic corridors, ports, energy, semiconductors, green energy and modern industries.
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Referring to Odisha’s rich natural resources, the Prime Minister said the government is transforming them into opportunities for growth and prosperity. He highlighted efforts to attract large-scale investments to drive industrial development across the state.
Praising Murmu’s journey from a village in Mayurbhanj to Rashtrapati Bhavan, Modi spoke about her dedication to public service, humility and commitment to nation-building.
The Prime Minister also announced that Pahadpur village will be developed as a solar village, with solar power generation in every household. Drawing a parallel with Odisha’s iconic Sun Temple at Konark, he expressed confidence that Pahadpur would emerge as a model solar-powered village for the nation.
Choosing Mayurbhanj — the northernmost and one of the largest districts in the state — for the celebration of the Odisha government’s second anniversary is being seen as a strategic move by the BJP. The saffron party appears keen to signal its focus on the tribal-dominated district, which has nine Assembly seats and one Lok Sabha constituency. In the 2024 Assembly elections, the BJP won all nine seats in the district.
