Berhampur: Union minister of state for education and development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), Sukanta Majumdar, joined students for a midday meal at Nodal High School, Phiringia on Tuesday, the last day of his two-day visit to Kandhamal district. District education officer Pramod Kumar Sarangi said that no special arrangements were made for the minister, who ate the same meal served to the students.
During his visit to the school, Majumdar interacted with students of Class 9 during a Sanskrit class where he recited a Sanskrit sloka and explained its meaning. He encouraged students to excel in their studies and become responsible citizens. The minister was accompanied by Kandhamal MP Sukant Kumar Panigrahi during his visit to the school.
Majumdar’s two-day tour of Kandhamal included visits to several key institutions in the district. He inspected the govt-run Industrial Training Institute (ITI) at Phulabnai, where he discussed skill development prospects with the students. He also visited a smart anganwadi centre and a health sub-centre at Masirpada in Phiringia block.
Earlier, Majumdar conducted a review meeting in Phulbani on the implementation of various central schemes in Kandhamal, which is designated as an aspirational district. “Besides education, the govt has prioritized the development of basic infrastructure, agriculture, skill development and financial inclusion in the district,” the minister said.