The projects in the CUO including its administrative building will be executed with a total cost of Rs 129 crore.

The online event was organised in CUO campus at Sunabeda with the presence of Lok Sabha member from Kalahandi Basant Kumar Panda, and Vice-Chancellor of the University Prof Chakradhar Tripathi.

The Prime Minister remotely inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for various infrastructure projects at centrally funded higher educational institutions under the department of Higher Education.

While Modi was present at Jammu, an event was held at the CUO. On the occasion a meeting was organised in the campus in physical mode.

Vice-Chancellor Prof. Chakradhar Tripathi, MP Basant Kumar Panda and Registrar incharge of the University Prof. Narasing Charan Panda graced the event.

Speaking on the occasion, Panda congratulated the university fraternity and also thanked PM for sanctioning the project. He said that in the period of Amritkaal the University will achieve more success in future.

The goal of NEP-2020 aims at achieving Inidan ethos in education. He urged the students to make a pledge to uphold the unity and integrity of the nation through education.

The Vice Chancellor thanked Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for his continuous effort in the progress of the University. He said that the sanction is granted for construction of various buildings including two academic blocks, one administrative building, one library building and two hostels (Boys and girls). He said various activities are planned to be implemented including establishment of a Charkha Centre.

It will be the PM’s seventh visit to UAE since 2015 and third in last eight months, indicating the escalation of strategic ties between the two countries.

Besides holding bilateral talks with President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Modi will be the guest of honour at World Government Summit 2024 in Dubai and will also address the Indian community in UAE at an event in Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi.

According to Ministry of External Affairs, following the Prime Minister’s first visit to UAE in August 2015, bilateral relations between the countries have transitioned to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with accords like Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and Local Currency Settlement (LCS) System signed.

UAE was among the top four investors in India during 2022-23 financial year.

“Delighted to share that our former Prime Minister, Shri PV Narasimha Rao Garu, will be honoured with the Bharat Ratna,” PM Modi posted on X.

Lauding the leadership of PV Narasimha Rao, he further wrote, “Rao’s tenure as Prime Minister was marked by significant measures that opened India to global markets, fostering a new era of economic development. Furthermore, his contributions to India’s foreign policy, language and education sectors underscore his multifaceted legacy as a leader who not only steered India through critical transformations but also enriched its cultural and intellectual heritage”.

He hailed the commitment of Chaudhary Charan Singh, who served as India’s fifth Prime Minister, to democracy and his “dedication” to the welfare of the farming community. “It is the good fortune of our government that former Prime Minister of the country Chaudhary Charan Singh is being honoured with Bharat Ratna. This honour is dedicated to his incomparable contribution to the country. He had dedicated his entire life to the rights and welfare of farmers. Be it the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh or the Home Minister of the country and even as an MLA, he always gave impetus to nation-building. He also stood firm against the Emergency. His dedication to our farmer brothers and sisters and his commitment to democracy during the Emergency is inspiring to the entire nation.”

“It is a matter of immense joy that the Government of India is conferring the Bharat Ratna on Dr. MS Swaminathan Ji, in recognition of his monumental contributions to our nation in agriculture and farmers’ welfare. He played a pivotal role in helping India achieve self-reliance in agriculture during challenging times and made outstanding efforts towards modernizing Indian agriculture. We also recognise his invaluable work as an innovator and mentor and encouraging learning and research among several students. Dr. Swaminathan’s visionary leadership has not only transformed Indian agriculture but also ensured the nation’s food security and prosperity. He was someone I knew closely and l always valued his insights and inputs,” the PM added.

On February 3, the Prime Minister had announced that BJP veteran Lal Krishna Advani will be conferred Bharat Ratna, praising his distinguished service in public life and commitment to transparency and integrity.

The decision to cancel the programme was taken after the party decided to hold the national council meeting on February 16 followed by a two-day national executive committee meeting on February 17 and 18 in New Delhi.

According to sources, the new date for his visit to Odisha will be finalised after the two-day national convention. While February 21 or 22 are tentative dates for the women’s convention, which the party is planning in Bhubaneswar, nothing has been finalised yet.

The national council meeting has been convened to ratify the extension of JP Nadda as party president till June, 2024, as well as to galvanise its cadre and lay down the agenda ahead of the Lok Sabha elections expected in April-May. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party president JP Nadda, most Union ministers and state organisation leaders are among the members of the council. All state office-bearers, morcha presidents, district presidents, Lok Sabha in-charges, cluster in-charges, Lok Sabha conveners, state spokespersons of the party, media cell conveners and IT cell in-charges have also been invited to attend the meeting.

The Prime Minister had on February 3 inaugurated, dedicated to nation and lay the foundation stone of multiple infrastructure projects worth more than Rs. 68,000 crore during a public programme in Sambalpur. He also addressed a public rally after a gap of five years in the western Odisha town.

The decision to cancel the programme was taken after the party decided to hold the national council meeting on February 16 followed by a two-day national executive committee meeting on February 17 and 18 in New Delhi.

According to sources, the new date for his visit to Odisha will be finalised after the two-day national convention. While February 21 or 22 are tentative dates for the women’s convention, which the party is planning in Bhubaneswar, nothing has been finalised yet.

The national council meeting has been convened to ratify the extension of JP Nadda as party president till June, 2024, as well as to galvanise its cadre and lay down the agenda ahead of the Lok Sabha elections expected in April-May. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party president JP Nadda, most Union ministers and state organisation leaders are among the members of the council. All state office-bearers, morcha presidents, district presidents, Lok Sabha in-charges, cluster in-charges, Lok Sabha conveners, state spokespersons of the party, media cell conveners and IT cell in-charges have also been invited to attend the meeting.

The Prime Minister had on February 3 inaugurated, dedicated to nation and lay the foundation stone of multiple infrastructure projects worth more than Rs. 68,000 crore during a public programme in Sambalpur. He also addressed a public rally after a gap of five years in the western Odisha town.

To show the journey of the Odia language and changing mediums of use of the language, the globally acclaimed artist has used a mix of sand and slates to create the 50-foot wide and 15-foot high sculpture at the Janata Maidan in Odisha’s Bhubaneswar.

Known for creating magic with sand, Patnaik used slates for the first time in his sculpture and it took him and his students three days to create it. Speaking to the media, he said, “My art this time includes sand, wooden slate on which we first learn to write, and Odiya letters written on it with chalk. I do not think anyone globally has ever used sand and slate together to create a sculpture.”

More than ten trucks of sand and 150 slates have been used by the Padma Shri recipient to create the artwork. The sculpture shows the past when palm leaves were used to write and letters were ingrained on stone till the digitisation era when we read on our electronic gadgets like laptops and mobile phones.

From showing the historical splendour of Odisha like the Konark temple and border of a Sambalpuri saree, the grand sculpture also demonstrates Odisha’s growth in sports and technology in recent years.

Governor Raghubar Das, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, Ashwini Vaishnaw and Bishweswar Tudu were present.

Dharmendra expressed gratitude to the PM for allocating Rs 1,21,117 crore to the Education Ministry in the Interim Union Budget 2024. He further said that the Rs 1 lakh crore corpus for research in technology will directly benefit the new generation.

“Today’s event marks the inauguration of a project by the PM for which he had laid the foundation stone through virtual mode on January 2, 2021, amid the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said, stressing that Modi ensures that project taken up are completed within the targeted time period.

While talking about the importance of IIMs, the CM said that the Prime Minister has set a new direction for the country and it is on a path to become an economic power. “This is a golden period for startups India and Odisha is a top performer in the country for promoting startups,” he said.

Naveen added, “Odisha hosting the first World Odia Language Conference from today and we are fortunate to have the PM, who is a lover of Indian languages, in our midsts.”

IIM-S NEW CAMPUS

The new campus at Basantpur spread over 200 acres has been built, incorporating regional art and architecture, with an investment of Rs 401.94 crore. Traditional IKAT – a patterned textile-dyeing technique – is mapped onto the brick facade which gives a remarkable elegance to the campus.

It is equipped with modern facilities for administration, faculty, academics, including auditoriums, libraries, sports zone, incubation centres, and hostels. IIM-S has its own Incubation Centre, governed by the Innovation and Incubation Cell, to build an ecosystem for budding entrepreneurs by providing them with a platform to interact, learn and network with a multitude of people which includes investors, venture capitalists, industry experts. It also boasts of a rooftop photovoltaic solar power plant with advanced features like motion sensor lights and solar water heating systems. The institute has implemented astronomical timers for external lighting and a high BEE star rating, aimed at cutting electricity consumption by 55 per cent. The campus also has an on-site waste water treatment system.

Recently, Dharmendra inaugurated the ‘Rangavati Centre of Excellence in Cultural and Sustainable Management’ at IIM Sambalpur as a part of the 4-Day 9th PAN IIM World Management Conference. The primary focus of the centre will be research on the art, literature, culture, and history of western Odisha, with a special emphasis on textiles.

The foundation stone for the permanent campus was laid by the PM through virtual mode on January 2, 2021. Initially, the B-school operated from a privately-run institution, Silicon Institute of Technology, campus at Sason area.

Speaking to the media on Sunday, Odisha BJP president Manmohan Samal said that PM Modi may visit the state again on February 10 to address a Mahila Samavesh. “Two Mahila Samavesh will be organised in Madhya Pradesh and Odisha. The tentative date for the event in Bhubaneswar is February 10 and the Prime Minister has given his consent to attend it. We will be able to share more information once the programme is confirmed,” he said.

Around 25,000 women from 14 states are likely to attend the Samavesh, which is being seen as an attempt by the BJP to make a dent into the trusted vote bank of BJD, in the city.

PM Modi is scheduled to visit Sambalpur on February 3 to attend a programme at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in Sambalpur. He is also likely to lay the foundation stones of some projects and inaugurate some others during this one-day visit.

Earlier in the day, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had also hinted that PM Modi may visit coastal Odisha after the tour of the western region.

The Odisha-based artist of global fame created the wonder on the occasion of Parakram Diwas to commemorate the 127th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

Speaking about the sand art, Pattnaik informed that about eight tonnes of sand and 500 steel bowls were used to create the 7-foot tall sand sculpture. “It was a gracious moment to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and be appreciated by him,” said Pattnaik.

“The PM said ‘Jai Jagannath’ as we met,” he added.

The Padma Shri awardee had won much appreciation for making the world’s largest sand sculpture of Lord Ram along with 500 replicas of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya to mark the consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla on Monday. Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath was also seen clicking a selfie with the sand art.

The ‘Yuddh Kand’ of the Hindu epic Ramayan, which depicts Lord Ram’s return to Ayodhya, was played in Marathi at the temple for PM Modi. The Prime Minister listened to the AI-translated Hindi episode. In addition to this, PM Modi also cleaned the premises of the Shree Kala Ram Mandir.

PM Modi’s visit to the Lord Ram temple in Nashik just 10 days before the inauguration of the Ayodhya temple holds significance as the place is considered to have great importance in the life of Lord Ram. Among the many places mentioned in ‘Ramayana’, Panchavati occupies a special place as Lord Ram spent several years of his exile in the Dandakaranya forest. It is believed that Panchavati was a part of the Dandakaranya Forest mentioned in the epic Ramayana.

He also inaugurated the new terminal building of the Tiruchirappalli International Airport.

The two-level terminal building has been developed at a cost of over ₹1100 crore. It has the capacity to serve more than 44 lakh passengers annually and about 3,500 during peak hours, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said a release.

While addressing the gathering, PM Modi said, ” “I wish that the year 2024 is peaceful and prosperous for everyone. It is a privilege that my first public programme in 2024 is happening in Tamil Nadu. Today development projects worth nearly ₹20,000 Cr will strengthen Tamil Nadu’s progress. I congratulate you for these projects…”

Expressing his pain over the loss of lives in Tamil Nadu due to recent rains and floods, he said, “The last few weeks of 2023 were difficult for many people in Tamil Nadu. We lost many of our fellow citizens due to heavy rainfall. There has also been a significant loss of property… The central government stands with the people of Tamil Nadu in this time of crisis. We are providing every possible support to the state government.”

PM Modi reached Tiruchirappalli where he was received by state chief minister MK Stalin and Governor RN Ravi. He participated in the 38th Convocation Ceremony of the Bharathidasan University.

While addressing the event, he quoted the ‘Puthiyathor Ulagam Seivom’ Tamil verses of poet Bharathidasan, after whom the university had been named, and said it meant creating a brave new world which is also the university’s motto.

He also said the Indian youth were already creating such a world. The Indian scientists are on the world map through missions like Chandrayaan-3 and ‘our innovators took the number of patents from around 4,000 in 2014 to almost 50,000 now.’

The Prime Minister is on a two-day visit to southern states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Union Territory of Lakshadweep from January 2-3.