Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday inaugurated a Rail Over Bridge (ROB) at Brahmapur and laid foundation-stone for a cooperative ginning mill at Digapahandi through videoconference.

Patnaik hailed the cooperation of people of Ganjam district in containing the spread of Covid-19. He also appreciated the dedicated service of doctors, paramedics and hard work of the district administration in this mission.

He said that as an important higher education, health and commercial hub of the southern Odisha, Brahmapur deserves special focus of the Government. To transform Brahmapur into a modern city, a lot of initiatives are being worked out. The new ROB constructed at a cost of Rs 27 crore would ensure hassle-free communication.

The ginning mill would provide jobs to 100 skilled and unskilled workers besides helping cotton growers of the nearby six blocks, he said.

Ministers Bikram Keshari Arukh and Prafulla Mallick hailed the steps by the Chief Minister to start economic activity even during the pandemic.

The ROB from Lanjipali to the Engineering would benefit over 40,000 people.

The RMC Digapahandi’s cotton and ginning and pressing unit is first of its kind in the cooperative sector.

It would be set up in PPP mode with an investment of Rs 2.10 crore and would have a capacity to produce 50 quintal lint cotton per day.

The unit would employ 100 skilled and unskilled labourers.

The cotton producing areas of Digapahandi, Sanekhmundi, Dharakote, Sheragada, Patrapur, Jagannathprasad and Bhanjanagar blocks of Ganjam district would be benefitted by the unit.