PM Modi to Visit Odisha on Feb 3 to Inaugurate IIM-Sambalpur Campus

Bhubaneswar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Odisha on February 3 for an official tour, as confirmed by BJP state unit president Manmohan Samal.

While the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has not yet released the tour details, it is anticipated that PM Modi will inaugurate the permanent campus of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM)-Sambalpur at Basantpur locality, located on the outskirts of the city.

The inauguration of the IIM-Sambalpur campus holds significance, considering that the PM had laid the foundation stone on January 2, 2021. Built over an expansive 200-acre area at a cost exceeding Rs 400 crore, the permanent campus is a key development in the region.

It is expected that PM Modi will address a public meeting in Sambalpur, aligning with the approaching General Elections in 2024.

The visit gains added importance as western Odisha is considered a stronghold for the BJP, boasting five of the party’s eight Lok Sabha members. Speculations are circulating that Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan may be nominated by the BJP for the Sambalpur Lok Sabha seat, currently held by Nitesh Gang Deb.