Bhubaneswar:
Development of the eastern region of the country including Odisha was very much on the agenda of the Narendra Modi-led NDA government, Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan yesterday said.
"Modiji during election campaign has all along said that eastern region of the country lags behind western parts in terms of development. In order to achieve inclusive growth, the eastern region must develop. The eastern region is very much on the agenda of the Prime Minister," Mr Pradhan told reporters, after being accorded a rousing welcome by the BJP workers on his return to the state.
Mr Pradhan, who is a Rajya Sabha MP from Bihar, hails from Odisha. "The development of NDA's 100 days agenda also aims the eastern region," he said.
Odisha's two Union ministers Jual Oram and Pradhan were taken in an impressive bike rally to the party headquarters here where they were felicitated. This is the first visit of the duo to the state since their appointment as ministers at the Centre.
Mr Oram, who was also in the previous NDA government and the lone BJP MP from Odisha, has been given the cabinet rank as the minister of Tribal Affairs.
"I thank Modiji for taking two persons from Odisha in the Union Council of ministers though only one MP was elected from here," Mr Oram said.
While Naveen Patnaik-led BJD won in 20 Lok Sabha seats of the state, Mr Oram as a BJP candidate got elected from Sundergarh Lok Sabha seat.