Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], July 23 (ANI): Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida thanked the Finance Minister and the Centre for the announcements for Odisha in the Union Budget by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday which she said would further the development of the state.

Speaking to ANI, Parida said, "I thank the Finance Minister and the Centre for the announcements made for Odisha to further promote and develop its sector."

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She also said that for Odisha's development, tourism is a prime sector and she also welcomed the announcements made by the centre for further development in tourism in Odisha.

"For the development of Odisha, tourism is the prime sector. There are more than 400 km of coastal highways; there is wildlife, landscapes, and scenery; there are also Buddhist pilgrimage centres here, as well as tribal culture and handlooms. I welcome the announcement made by the Centre for the further development of tourism in Odisha," she said.

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She further stated that the BJP government wants to make Odisha one of the top three states in the country and the tourism sector is already contributing.

"We want to make Odisha the top three states in the country, and the tourism sector is already contributing towards this," she said.

In her budget speech, FM Nirmala Sitharaman said that the centre will assist in making Odisha an ultimate tourism destination.

"Odisha's scenic beauty, temples, monuments, craftsmanship, wildlife sanctuaries, natural landscapes and pristine beaches make it an ultimate tourism destination. Our government will provide assistance for their development," she said.

Sitharaman further said they have formulated a plan called 'Purvodaya' for the all-round development of the eastern region of the country including the state of Odisha.

"The states in the Eastern part of the country are rich in endowments and have strong cultural traditions. We will formulate a plan, Purvodaya, for the all-round development of the eastern region of the country covering Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. This will cover human resource development, infrastructure, and the generation of economic opportunities to make the region an engine to attain Viksit Bharat," she said. (ANI)

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