In a first, Odisha police unfurled the Tricolour at 10 uninhabited islands on Saturday, just 24 hours before the 76th Republic Day on Sunday, to send a message that the state’s 480-kilometre coastline is safe and protected.
The decision to hoist the national flags was taken at the three-day DGP (director-general of police) and IG (inspector-general of police) level conferences held at Bhubaneswar between November 29 and December 1.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, home minister Amit Shah, national security adviser Ajit Doval and senior police officers from across the country attended the conference to chalk out a plan for national security.
Odisha Police tweeted: “Hoisting the Tricolour across the uninhabited islands of India during this Republic Day, is a historic initiative by Hon’ble Prime Minister, and Odisha Police is proud to have represented Odisha by hoisting it across 10 such Islands of the State! Bande Utkala JananiJai Hind!!”
The Tricolour was unfurled at 10 uninhabited islands across three districts — Subarna Dip in Balasore district, Naya Tapu Dip, Udabali, Kanika, Long Wheeler, Short Island and Small Wheeler in Bhadrak district, and Boitarkud, Jatadhari Tanda and Barkund Islands in Jagastinghpur district.
Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday unfurled the Tricolour in Cuttack for the first time on the occasion of the 76th Republic Day and said that Odisha was poised to witness a golden period in infrastructure development over the next five years.
“The double-engine government will accelerate the pace of development in the state. Over ₹5,000 crore will be invested under the Viksit Gaon and Viksit Odisha (developed village and developed Odisha),” he said.
The chief minister said that the double-engine government was working in the direction towards achieving the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047.
Majhi also talked about his BJP-led state government’s achievements during the last seven months, such as disbursing ₹5,000each to the accounts of nearly 80 lakh women, increasing the minimum support price (MSP) to ₹5,000 per quintal of paddy, and providing compensation to farmers for the losses they incurred due tounseasonal rain.
He also spoke about the state’s health scheme, the Ayushman Bharat Yojana and the ₹500 crore corpus fund for Puri Shree Jagannath Temple.
Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati hoisted the national flag at state capital Bhubaneswar.
On this occasion, 49 contingents from different organisations, such as the BSF (Border Security Force), OSAP ( Odisha State Armed Police Force), CRPF, Odisha Police and NCC participated in the parade and presented a spectacular show of courage and patriotism.
Former chief minister Naveen Patnaik unfurled the Tricolour at the BJD party headquarters in Bhubaneswar.
Ministers and revenue divisional commissioners hoisted the Tricolour across various parts of the state on Sunday, including Maoist areas.
