Bhubaneswar, April 1: On the occasion of Utkala Dibasa, marking the formation day of Odisha, BJD president Naveen Patnaik emphasized that no force could halt the state's development.
He urged the people of Odisha to proudly identify themselves as ‘proud Odia.’
Patnaik made these remarks while addressing a gathering at the party's headquarters, Sankha Bhawan. The event was commemorated with patriotic songs, and the garlanding of photographs and statues of prominent figures who dedicated their lives to the creation of a separate Odisha based on language.
Highlighting the significance of the state’s formation, Patnaik stated, "Odisha's formation was a historic moment for the nation. Odisha was the first state in India to be created on a linguistic basis."
Patnaik further assured that the government was consistently striving to make Odisha a prosperous state. Reflecting on the period between 2000 and 2024, he noted, "This has been a transformative era for Odisha’s development, and today, the state plays a key role in the nation’s progress."
The Chief Minister also mentioned the recognition of Odia as a classical language in the past two decades and the establishment of an Odia University in the state.
"Several new chairs for research on the Odia language have been set up in universities across the country," he added.
Patnaik also acknowledged the significant progress in the state's development, particularly in the areas associated with Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das and Utkala Gourvav Madhusudan Das, two revered figures in Odisha’s history.
He proudly stated, "Poverty in the state has been reduced from 70% to 10%. No one can stop the development of Odisha."
