Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik inaugurates state's longest bridge spanning Mahanadi

On December 20, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the state's longest bridge, which spans the Mahanadi River in Gopinathpur, Cuttack district. According to officials, the 3.4-kilometre-long bridge connecting Singhanath Pitha and Baideswar in the Cuttack district will shorten the journey by 45 kilometres, benefitting around five lakh people.

They stated that the bridge, which is in the shape of a T, was constructed at a cost of Rs 111 crore. On February 28, 2014, Patnaik laid the foundation stone for the bridge. Hundreds of Congress and BJP workers, including former MLA Debasis Patnaik, were arrested while protesting with black flags in Banki ahead of Patnaik's visit. Opposition activists demanded that Minister of State for Home DS Mishra be fired for his suspected ties to the main suspect in the kidnapping and murder of a woman teacher in Kalahandi.

Patnaik had inaugurated the 2.88-kilometre-long Netaji Subash Chandra Bose Setu over the Kathajodi River at Trisulia in July 2017, which was the state's longest bridge at the time. By way of Barang, the bridge connects Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.

CM Patnaik Launches Air Health Services For Remote Tribal Districts

On Monday, December 20, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched the 'Mukhyamantri Vayu Swasthya Seva' (Air Health Services), under which specialist doctors will be flown to rural districts of the state to treat patients with serious diseases. CM Patnaik launched a flight transporting specialised medics to the Maoist-infested Malkangiri district, which is controlled by tribals. When the doctors arrive in Malkangiri, they will treat those who are suffering from serious illnesses.

The 'Mukhyamantri Vayu Swasthya Seva' would be provided in the tribal-dominated districts of Nabarnagpur, Nuapada, and Kalahandi in the first phase, in addition to Malkangiri. Other districts will be covered by the initiative in phases, according to Patnaik. 

Also, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has launched a book about the state's Gajapati kings. The chief minister released the book 'Gajapati: A King Without a Kingdom,' written by Ashok Bal, on Saturday, December 17. It tells the intriguing biography of the Gajapati rulers, beginning with Suryavanshi Gajapati Kapilendra Deb. After the Ganga rulers, Kapilendra Deb and his successors continued to utilise the regal title of Gajapati. The book focusses on a unique aspect of the Gajapati rulers' ritual relationship with Lord Jagannath.

(With inputs from ANI, PTI)

Image: ANI, Twitter/@Naveen_Odisha