By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR:A great public leader, visionary, uncrowned emperor of Indian politics, Bharat Ratna and former Prime Minister of the country, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee was not only a politician, he was a yoga janma and statesman. He played a key role in promoting India’s development and progress and leading the country into the 21st century in a wide range of fields. Atalji made a historic change in India. He made India a unique force in the world by testing nuclear weapons in the country, said State President and Rajya Sabha MP Shri Manmohan Samal while paying tributes to Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s statue at AIIMS Hospital complex in Bhubaneswar on his 8th death anniversary by garlanding it.
Shri Samal says that Atalji is the center of inspiration for everyone. Due to his efforts, AIIMS Medical College has been established in Odisha. After Delhi, AIIMS Medical College in Bhubaneswar has become the most trusted one today. Here, the common people can get high-quality medical facilities and services. During Atalji’s rule, there was a paradigm shift in the transportation sector in the country. Be it the Golden Quadrilateral Scheme or the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, he gave India a new look. He strengthened the infrastructure in the rural areas under the Pradhan Mantri Sadak Yojana. He extended Odisha from 1500 km to 3400 km of national highways.
Late Vajpayee’s contribution in providing electricity to villages, delivering food to the poor under Antaoday and Annapurna Yojanas, creating and encouraging Self Help Groups (SHGs) for women empowerment, and providing drinking water through the water-saving method is unparalleled. Vajpayee ji’s help and support in the difficult times of the people of Odisha, including establishing IITs and oil refineries in Odisha and during the 1999 cyclone, was unforgettable. Atal ji’s ideals of good governance, building a better India and the politics of consensus among all are still guiding our party and the country. We are all determined to build a strong, self-reliant and developed India by following the path shown by him, said Shri Samal.
On this occasion, State Secretary Saroj Kumar Kar, senior leader Mahesh Mohanty, Jayanti Sahehari, Khordha District President Biswaranjan Badjena, State Spokesperson Sanjay Rath, AIIMS Mandal President Babita Jena and local district and mandal workers of the party were present and paid tributes by garlanding the statue of late Atal Ji.
