Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi inaugurated 16 projects worth Rs 42 crore and laid the foundation for several more development projects totaling Rs 118 crore in the Anandapur sub-division of Keonjhar district on Sunday.
The announcements were made during the 61st annual festival at Anandapur College in Keonjhar.
At the event, the Chief Minister also revealed a financial package of Rs 7 crore for upgrading the college’s infrastructure. This includes building a multi-purpose hall, seminar hall, and improving the sports ground. He instructed officials to take steps to make Anandapur College an autonomous institution.
In addition, Majhi announced Rs 2 crore for upgrading the Anandapur sub-divisional hospital and Rs 20 crore for completing the construction of the stadium in Anandapur.
Speaking at the event, the Chief Minister praised the college’s educational environment.
“Anandapur College has produced many talented students who consistently top university exams. I am proud to have studied at such an institution,” Majhi said, recalling his own student days.
The Chief Minister shared personal memories from his time at Anandapur College and emphasized the value of hard work.
“Student life is a struggle, but it will lead to success. Trust your hard work and the blessings of your teachers,” he told the students.
Majhi also discussed the importance of education for the future of the state.
“While education is not a problem anymore, the real challenge is ensuring quality education. The New Education Policy (NEP) 2020 aims to provide quality education, create a good learning environment, and equip students with skills to contribute to India’s growth,” he said.
He expressed disappointment that the NEP had not been implemented in Odisha earlier due to political reasons but reassured that the current government has successfully brought NEP-2020 to the state.
The Chief Minister also highlighted the introduction of the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) with local contextualization as the state curriculum framework for Odisha.
Majhi also mentioned that the PM-USHA Yojana is being implemented at the college level to enhance higher education, providing quality teaching, ICT-based infrastructure, and better job opportunities for students.
“Our government has made reforms in education and exams. We are focused on improving the quality of education and ensuring that students get jobs based on merit, not money. In the next five years, 1.5 lakh government jobs will be available through a transparent and corruption-free process,” he added.
Majhi also emphasized the government’s commitment to education, saying that Rs 41,273 crore has been allocated for education in the upcoming budget, making it one of the highest allocations in the country. Of this, Rs 3,655 crore will be dedicated to higher education.
The Chief Minister assured that his government would continue efforts to strengthen Odisha’s education system, ensuring that students and teachers meet national and international standards.
Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj, also present at the event, spoke about the importance of student politics.
“Our government is reintroducing the student union election system. We are also establishing the Godavarish Mishra Adarsha Prathamik Vidyalaya to improve primary education,” he said.
The event was attended by Keonjhar MP Anant Nayak, Ghasipura MLA Badri Narayan Patra, and Anandapur MLA Abhimanyu Sethi, all of whom participated as chief guests.
