PM Modi to visit Naxal-affected Dantewada in Chhattisgarh tomorrow

Raipur, May 8: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Naxal-affected Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh tomorrow to take stock of socio-economic development initiatives being taken there.

Two mega projects for setting up of ultra mega steel plant and second phase of Rowghat-Jagdalpur railway line will be inaugurated during Modi's visit, state government officials said.

The Prime Minister will be visiting an education city, aimed at providing education to under-privileged children living in the area. Modi will also be interacting with the students there, they said.

The education city spread across over 100 acres and built at the cost of approximately Rs 120 crore provides residential and classroom educational facilities.

It is estimated to serve almost 5,000 most deprived children of the region every year by providing them the opportunity to have quality education.

Modi will also visit a livelihood college, that has been imparting necessary skills to youths living in Dantewada region to help them get suitable employment opportunities.

Dantewada, a worst naxal-affected district of Chhattisgarh, under Bastar region is rich in mineral resources, especially iron ore. The area has been witnessing naxal attacks in the past.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for setting up of the ultra-mega steel plant at Dilmili village in Dantewada, with a capacity of three million tonne every year, will be signed during the Modi's visit. Chhattisgarh will have direct investment of more than Rs 18,000 crore through this project.

Over 10,000 people in the region will have direct and indirect employment opportunities through this project, they added. Another MoU for second phase of railway-link between Rowghat and Jagdalpur will be inked during the Prime Minister's visit.

The 140-km rail link, to be constructed at a cost of Rs 24,000 crore, will connect Bastar region with important cities of the state like Raipur, Bilaspur and Durg. The rail link will also help in easy and cheaper transportation of iron ore for industries.

These two projects are expected to rapidly help in socio-economic transformation of Bastar which is considered as backward region, the officials said.

A MoU for second phase of Rowghat-Jagdalpur line was signed earlier also but was shelved due to lack of funds. Later on the same day, the Prime Minister will visit Naya Raipur to inaugurate Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) and Police headquarters there.

He will also lay foundation stone for construction of 40,000 LIG and EWS affordable houses for marginalised people in Naya Raipur.

PTI