President, Prime Minister, let us walk side by side in Odisha’s tribal hinterland

Prime Minister Modi and President Murmu. | Photo credit: ANI

A day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined President Droupadi Murma to celebrate her birthday at her in-laws’ village, Pahadpur in Urina’s Mayurbhanj district, the remote village was decked out in traditional colors and turned into a virtual fort.

In Pahadpur, a Santhal tribal village, every house tells a story. Its walls came to life with colors and intricate patterns bearing floral motifs and scenes from nature. It reflects the deep-rooted artistic tradition that the Santhal community has preserved across generations.

In a remote village, a school founded by Mrs. Murmu in memory of her husband and two sons, who are no longer alive, has been decorated. Students brimming with excitement are getting ready to welcome Ms. Murma and Mr. Modi.

It is a rare and remarkable moment – when the President, India’s first citizen and holder of the country’s highest constitutional office, and the Prime Minister, the chief executive and the country’s most powerful political leader, walk side by side through a tribal village surrounded by forests.

Development and infrastructure projects worth over ₹40,000 crore are likely to be announced on Saturday (June 20, 2026).

Due to harsh weather, President Murmu could not land in her home town Rairangpur. On Friday, she was traveling from West Bengal to the border town of Rairangpur in Odisha by road. She was welcomed by Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati and Chief Minister Mohan Majhi. She inaugurated the new hospital building and satellite center of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar at Rairangpur.

The PM is to lay the foundation stone of the ₹25,016 crore coal gasification project at Lakhanpur in Jharsuguda district, a step to ensure energy security. According to a press statement issued by the Centre, India is the world’s second largest producer and consumer of coal, with Coal India Limited being the largest mining company globally.

The Lakhanpur project is believed to be India’s first commercial-scale ammonium nitrate facility being developed by Bharat Coal Gasification and Chemicals Limited (BCGCL), a joint venture between Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) and Coal India Limited (CIL). It will produce 2,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate per day using BHEL’s indigenously developed coal gasification technology.

President Mrs. Murmu dedicates two important multi-track railway projects worth more than ₹732 crore to the nation at Rairangpur in the presence of Mr. Modi in August. It includes the Jakhapura – Jajpur Keonjhar Road – Baitarani Road Multi-tracking Project, which was completed at a cost of ₹ 323 million over a length of 19 km and was developed as part of the larger Bhadrak – Nergundi Multi-tracking Project.

Besides, the foundation stone will be laid for a large number of educational institutes in Rairangpur, which is expected to become the hub of education in the tribal-dominated region bordering Jharkhand and West Bengal. Three-layer security has been provided in Rairangpur and Pahadpur, said Sanjay Kumar, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order).

Published – 20 Jun 2026 0:43 IST