Vaishnaw dances with tribals and sips tea at roadside stall during Jan Ashriwad Yatra

     Bhubaneswar, Aug 20 (PTI)  Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Friday mingled with the people, danced to the tune of tribal music, sipped tea at a roadside stall and told people that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a vision to transform life of people in Odisha during his visit to the state on Jan Ashirwad Yatra.<br><br> <br><br>        The union minister visited tribal Rayagada and Koraput districts of Odisha on the second day of the Yatra, which has been introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to introduce the new central ministers to the general people. He travelled overnight by train to Rayagada from Bhubaneswar and interacted with the passengers to take their feedback on amenities and cleanliness.<br><br> <br><br>        Vaishnaw, who is on his maiden visit to the state, reviewed the project and planning for the new railway division at Rayagada soon after reaching there. Railway officials updated him about the planning for it.<br><br><br><br>         Before the official review, Vaishnaw met well-known social worker Shanti Das at Rayagada and sought her blessings.  He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asked him to meet her personally.  <br><br>        “It was a pleasure meeting Padmashree Shanti Das Ji in Rayagada. Her contribution for education of tribal girls and peace in Naxal affected areas is indeed very inspiring,” Vaishanw said in a twitter post. <br><br>        He also visited the famous Majhi Ghariani temple and had a darshan of the Hanuman idol at Semiliguda in Koraput district.<br><br>        The railway minister also garlanded the statues of Sahid Laxman Naik, Maharaja Krushnachandra Gajapati Narayan Dev and Dr B R Ambedkar during his visit to Rayagada and Koraput districts.<br><br>        At a public reception held in his honour, Vaishnaw said it is Modi's vision to ensure internet fiber connection, electricity, drinking water at every house. "This dream can be fulfilled if all work in tandem and cooperation".<br><br>        He said that after interacting with the people of Rayagada issues of communication and connectivity have come to his notice. "The problems related to the construction of Rayagada railway division and Gunupur-Therubali railway line will be reviewed and the work will be expedited. Work will be taken up to develop connectivity in the region and installation of mobile phone towers soon,” he told reporters.<br><br>        Vaishanw also spoke to the women and inquired whether they have cooking gas facility and toilets, electricity and drinking water in their houses. “Modiji has been trying to strengthen  the weaker section of the society and women in particular. We have Ujjawal Yojana for LPG connection, Soubhagya Yojana for electicity connection, Prime Miniter Awas Yojana for housing besides many others to uplift the marginalized section of the society,” he said.<br><br>        In Koraput, the union minister danced with the tribal people to the tune of the folk music. “Folk Dance! Happiness! Memories! Trying to match the dance steps with local folk dance at Payakut village in Odisha,” Vaishnaw, also the minister for IT, Communication, tweeted. <br><br>        He also participated in a roadshow in Koraput.<br><br>        On the way back, Vaishnaw halted at a roadside stall and had tea with his companion and made a digital payment of Rs 50.<br><br>        He received a rousing welcome from local party workers and people in both the districts. PTI AAM KK<br><br>KK   KK

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)