Latest news with #Urban
The Age
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
Sydney metro stations and delightfully weird homes sweep top awards
A family home inspired by The Simpsons episode where a naked Homer and Marge visit the Garden of Eden and the project to build underground stations for Sydney's $21.6 billion new metro line have won top honours at this year's state architecture awards. Announced on Friday night, the state's highest award, the NSW Architecture Medallion, and the Lloyd Rees Award for Urban Design, went to the Sydney Metro City Stations project that opened last year and linked Chatswood to Sydenham with six new stations and upgrades to two others. The winners of the 2025 NSW architecture awards range from the modest to the monumental and the delightfully weird, as well as those with ambitions such as the metro and the new city of Bradfield that are changing the city. The judges said expressions such as 'legacy project' and 'city shaping' were often empty rhetoric. But not with Sydney Metro. Delivered by dozens of architectural practices including Woods Bagot, Cox Architecture, Foster + Partners, Grimshaw, Hassell, John McAslan + Partners, and Architectus, with designers, artists, engineers, landscapers and others, the metro was ambitious and truly transformative. It had 'redefined civic experience' in Sydney. 'As a nation, with a few notable exceptions, we are often guilty of being under-ambitious when it comes to our built environment. It's a welcome shift. This is infrastructure that supports not just movement, but social and cultural connection as a catalyst for future development and change. It demonstrates the far-reaching impact architects can have on shaping public life and delivering tangible benefit to society and the environment.' The metro was one of 72 projects out of 284 entries that received awards and commendations after 37 jurors visited 137 sites across the state. Anthony St John Parsons won the Wilkinson award for residential architecture for New Castle, a new home at Merewether in Newcastle that was built around a massive walled garden. The judges said it was 'a rare work of architectural bravura that drew on centuries of architectural knowledge, from the monumental grandeur of Roman villas to the artistry of Mughal gardens, that thoughtfully reinterpreted these lessons in a contemporary way'. A sole practitioner who also teaches architecture, St John Parsons is now building his own home, bringing a little bit of paradise to the inner west with an extension that clusters around a garden courtyard. He said New Castle had been a 'career-making project' that began during COVID. It took four years, during which his two sons, Miro and Mathias, were born. The beachside suburb of Merewether was Newcastle's version of Bondi, and most homes left little space for a garden. When the owners of New Castle said they liked his idea of a large interior walled garden, he looked for examples of idyllic gardens in literature, art and popular culture, from the Elysian ideal to a Bosch painting about earthly delights, and his love of The Simpsons. St John Parsons became interested architecture as a boy growing up in Woy Woy when a neighbour gave him models of little homes as toys. Asked before the awards how we would feel if he won, the 38-year-old replied: 'It would feel like I've peaked. I'm happy to play Lego with my boys for the rest of my career.' After the New Castle project featured in Houses magazine, St John Parsons posted on Instagram that he was 'stoked'. He said he had bought his first copy of the architecture and design publication 'after picking up my first pay cheque from Maccas as a pimply teenager'. Another young practice, Architect George, won the Hugh and Eva Buhrich award for residential alterations and additions, for a home in Erskineville. Modest in size at 95 square metres before the project began, the home was increased to 110 square metres with the addition of a minimalist double-height polycarbonate 'lightbox'. Other major awards Aaron Bulot Award for multi-residential architecture went to Bates Smart for Wentworth Quarter. The practice won five awards, including for its new build-to-rent project above Gadigal metro station. Sir Arthur G. Stephenson Award for commercial architecture – 39 Martin Place by Tzannes Sulman Medal for public architecture – Yarrila Place | BVN Milo Dunphy Award for sustainable architecture – Boot Factory and Mill Hill Centre Precinct by Archer Office with Matt Devine. It also won an award for public architecture. Greenway Award for heritage – White Bay Power Station, Design 5 – Architects with Placemaking NSW The Blacket Prize for regional architecture – Cobar Ward Oval Pavilion by DunnHillamArchitecture + Urban Design William E. Kemp Award for educational architecture – St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Rosebery by Neeson Murcutt Neille Award for enduring architecture – Moore Park Gardens, AJC Architects Sulman Medal for public architecture – Yarrila Place by BVN John Verge Award for interior architecture – Babylon House, by Casey Brown Architecture Robert Woodward Award for small project architecture – Love Shack by Second Edition EmAGN Project Award – Green Heart – the urban garden by Studio Oulala Architects An adaptable curtain system enabled flexible occupancy and different uses of the spaces. Sydney architect Phillip Arnold wrote that the home for five was 'delightfully weird, and could simultaneously be described as both a two-bedroom house and four-bedroom house … It is one of the ways this house makes no sense. Not meeting a conventional logic is one of the ways this house is very special and quite magical.' Loading Annabel Lahz, the jury chair, said the awarded projects highlighted the impact of architecture on everyday life. The NSW chapter president of the Institute of Architects, Elizabeth Carpenter, said they were a powerful reminder that architecture was both art and a responsibility. Chris Minns gave the Premier's Prize to the First Building by Hassell at Bradfield City Centre. It also won awards for sustainable architecture and commercial architecture. Minns said: 'Every new city requires a big dream ... it's incredibly exciting to see that dream taking shape here in Bradfield.'
Sydney Morning Herald
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Sydney metro stations and delightfully weird homes sweep top awards
A family home inspired by The Simpsons episode where a naked Homer and Marge visit the Garden of Eden and the project to build underground stations for Sydney's $21.6 billion new metro line have won top honours at this year's state architecture awards. Announced on Friday night, the state's highest award, the NSW Architecture Medallion, and the Lloyd Rees Award for Urban Design, went to the Sydney Metro City Stations project that opened last year and linked Chatswood to Sydenham with six new stations and upgrades to two others. The winners of the 2025 NSW architecture awards range from the modest to the monumental and the delightfully weird, as well as those with ambitions such as the metro and the new city of Bradfield that are changing the city. The judges said expressions such as 'legacy project' and 'city shaping' were often empty rhetoric. But not with Sydney Metro. Delivered by dozens of architectural practices including Woods Bagot, Cox Architecture, Foster + Partners, Grimshaw, Hassell, John McAslan + Partners, and Architectus, with designers, artists, engineers, landscapers and others, the metro was ambitious and truly transformative. It had 'redefined civic experience' in Sydney. 'As a nation, with a few notable exceptions, we are often guilty of being under-ambitious when it comes to our built environment. It's a welcome shift. This is infrastructure that supports not just movement, but social and cultural connection as a catalyst for future development and change. It demonstrates the far-reaching impact architects can have on shaping public life and delivering tangible benefit to society and the environment.' The metro was one of 72 projects out of 284 entries that received awards and commendations after 37 jurors visited 137 sites across the state. Anthony St John Parsons won the Wilkinson award for residential architecture for New Castle, a new home at Merewether in Newcastle that was built around a massive walled garden. The judges said it was 'a rare work of architectural bravura that drew on centuries of architectural knowledge, from the monumental grandeur of Roman villas to the artistry of Mughal gardens, that thoughtfully reinterpreted these lessons in a contemporary way'. A sole practitioner who also teaches architecture, St John Parsons is now building his own home, bringing a little bit of paradise to the inner west with an extension that clusters around a garden courtyard. He said New Castle had been a 'career-making project' that began during COVID. It took four years, during which his two sons, Miro and Mathias, were born. The beachside suburb of Merewether was Newcastle's version of Bondi, and most homes left little space for a garden. When the owners of New Castle said they liked his idea of a large interior walled garden, he looked for examples of idyllic gardens in literature, art and popular culture, from the Elysian ideal to a Bosch painting about earthly delights, and his love of The Simpsons. St John Parsons became interested architecture as a boy growing up in Woy Woy when a neighbour gave him models of little homes as toys. Asked before the awards how we would feel if he won, the 38-year-old replied: 'It would feel like I've peaked. I'm happy to play Lego with my boys for the rest of my career.' After the New Castle project featured in Houses magazine, St John Parsons posted on Instagram that he was 'stoked'. He said he had bought his first copy of the architecture and design publication 'after picking up my first pay cheque from Maccas as a pimply teenager'. Another young practice, Architect George, won the Hugh and Eva Buhrich award for residential alterations and additions, for a home in Erskineville. Modest in size at 95 square metres before the project began, the home was increased to 110 square metres with the addition of a minimalist double-height polycarbonate 'lightbox'. Other major awards Aaron Bulot Award for multi-residential architecture went to Bates Smart for Wentworth Quarter. The practice won five awards, including for its new build-to-rent project above Gadigal metro station. Sir Arthur G. Stephenson Award for commercial architecture – 39 Martin Place by Tzannes Sulman Medal for public architecture – Yarrila Place | BVN Milo Dunphy Award for sustainable architecture – Boot Factory and Mill Hill Centre Precinct by Archer Office with Matt Devine. It also won an award for public architecture. Greenway Award for heritage – White Bay Power Station, Design 5 – Architects with Placemaking NSW The Blacket Prize for regional architecture – Cobar Ward Oval Pavilion by DunnHillamArchitecture + Urban Design William E. Kemp Award for educational architecture – St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Rosebery by Neeson Murcutt Neille Award for enduring architecture – Moore Park Gardens, AJC Architects Sulman Medal for public architecture – Yarrila Place by BVN John Verge Award for interior architecture – Babylon House, by Casey Brown Architecture Robert Woodward Award for small project architecture – Love Shack by Second Edition EmAGN Project Award – Green Heart – the urban garden by Studio Oulala Architects An adaptable curtain system enabled flexible occupancy and different uses of the spaces. Sydney architect Phillip Arnold wrote that the home for five was 'delightfully weird, and could simultaneously be described as both a two-bedroom house and four-bedroom house … It is one of the ways this house makes no sense. Not meeting a conventional logic is one of the ways this house is very special and quite magical.' Loading Annabel Lahz, the jury chair, said the awarded projects highlighted the impact of architecture on everyday life. The NSW chapter president of the Institute of Architects, Elizabeth Carpenter, said they were a powerful reminder that architecture was both art and a responsibility. Chris Minns gave the Premier's Prize to the First Building by Hassell at Bradfield City Centre. It also won awards for sustainable architecture and commercial architecture. Minns said: 'Every new city requires a big dream ... it's incredibly exciting to see that dream taking shape here in Bradfield.'
The Hindu
21 hours ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Can new collar gig jobs be a game-changer for fresh graduates
Gig means 'informal'. Gig workers are typically freelancers or independent contractors hired for specific tasks or projects, rather than as full time employees. Whenever we hear the word 'Gig Jobs ', what readily come to our minds are the temporary blue collar workers using platforms like Uber, Ola, Urban, Flipkart etc. But in reality, the scope of gig work is far wider, ranging from platform-driven blue collar jobs, white collar knowledge workers, and going up to 'skills-only' new age jobs that are called 'New Collar Jobs'. Developed countries like the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia have integrated gig work more deeply into their economies. According to Upwork's Freelance Forward report (2024), 38% of the U.S. workforce is freelancers, with 79% of them holding minimum Bachelors degree and 47% of them providing knowledge services in sectors like IT, consulting and marketing. An unprecedented digital transformation of the job market fueled by AI coupled with continuation of remote working in the IT sector has produced a number of new-age jobs requiring cutting-edge skills. Just-in-time availability and substantial cost advantage are compelling companies to recruit such freelancers. As per a recent report by TeamLease, only 10% of about 1.5 million engineering students that graduate in 2025 are expected to secure full time jobs in corporates during the year, due to automation of entry level jobs, slowdown of economy and skill-related factors. The situation is not likely to change for the better in the near future. In this environment, the emerging job market for gig sector white collar and new collar jobs presents an alternative career path . In the prevailing context, this article examines the attractiveness of the sector for fresh engineering graduates and career pathways that can be planned in short term as well as long term, challenges faced in this process and how they can be addressed by the stakeholders. White collar gigs As per FlexingIt's report on Changing Global Workforce Models, despite global uncertainty and a sluggish job market, demand for independent professionals rose 38% in 2024-25 driven by the need for specialist skills, quicker turnaround and flexibility in deployment. Demand for freelancers cuts across business functions and sectors with technology services leading at 25% (AI related projects contributing about 10%), followed by strategy (15%) and finance (11%). Besides this, 25% of freelance projects are independent of location and can be outsourced. A generational shift is underway as a number of millennials and Gen Z are preferring organisations and jobs that offer autonomy, flexibility and work-life balance from the outset. No wonder, 38% of the white collar gig workers worldwide are women. The Indian market As traditional job markets get reshaped due to automation and become increasingly competitive, many fresh graduates are turning to gig jobs, as a viable entry point into the workforce. India currently has over 10 million gig workers in sectors such as software, professional services, digital marketing, healthcare, and media. This workforce is expected to grow to 23.5 million by 2030, as per a NITI Aayog report. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a major driver of new job creation and transformation. India's AI job market is expected to grow by 20% in 2025 and the integration of AI into the gig economy is creating new opportunities for engineering graduates, particularly in data science, machine learning, and automation. As per a NASSCOM report, by 2027, 40% of IT work in India could be gig-based and 25% of Global Capability Centres (GCCs) will recruit gig workers. New collar jobs are not limited to IT, as other sectors like banking, insurance, healthcare, and even traditional industries such as oil and gas are increasingly seeking tech-savvy engineers for digital transformation roles. As per Foundit Insights Tracker (April 2025), India's gig job market has been witnessing robust expansion, recording a 17% year-on-year growth in 2024-25. Most of the gig professionals are placed through company-led models across Indian corporates like TCS, Infosys, HCL Tech, Fractal and Wipro (28% share), MNCs like IBM,JP Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Google, Microsoft and Meta (12%), startups (8%), and others (18%). Balance 34% are placed through consultants including staffing firms and freelance platforms. The demand for gig workers is particularly strong in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) related roles, which make up 68% of total gig opportunities, underscoring the increasing reliance on skilled professionals in technology, management, and data science-driven sectors. Moreover, freshers with specialised technical expertise are in high demand, with gig-based hiring in fields like AI, data science, and cloud computing, which grew by 32% over the previous year. The steep growth in GCCs has been witnessing increased reliance on gig professionals, as a key part of their hiring strategy. As per a recent LinkedIn survey, 85% of the GCCs are focused on a skills-first approach for recruitment. Outsourcing opportunities Due to cost-effectiveness and a large English-speaking workforce, Indian gig workers are in demand for firms in the U.S. and Europe for outsourcing jobs like AI/ML data annotation, AI ethics, prompt engineering, data analytics, application prototyping and digital marketing campaign management. The National Capital Region (NCR) with a 26% share and Mumbai ( 18%) are the major gig hubs, followed by Bengaluru (12%), Hyderabad (11%) and Chennai (8%). Income trends and platforms The gig economy in India offers a diverse range of earning opportunities, with the largest share of 40% of jobs in the income range of ₹3-6 lakh per annum (LKA) followed by 36% in less-than-₹ 3 lakh per annum, 16% in ₹6-10 lakh range and balance 8% in the over ₹10 LKA bracket, reflecting the dominance of entry-level and mid-skilled roles. There has been a significant growth in skilled gig professionals, particularly in IT consulting, data analytics, and project management, commanding ₹6-10 LPA salaries, highlighting the demand for advanced technical and strategic skills. As businesses continue to integrate gig talent into their regular workforce strategies, the scope for premium skill sets and specialised expertise is expected to grow, driving greater earning potential in the future. As the gig economy continues to grow, businesses will increasingly rely on specialized online platforms that cater to specific industries, such as healthcare, design, technology, and marketing. These AI-driven platforms match workers with highly tailored skills to project-based opportunities, enhancing the quality of work, while streamlining the hiring process. An estimated 200 million women in India are estimated to be unemployed or under-employed due to rigid work formats and personal commitments. In order to address this gap, Swati Nelabhatula, a techie turned entrepreneur recently created a platform, SITHA, for women gig workers. Career growth for gig professionals While the gig sector could be an entry level career opportunity, gig professionals, over a period of time, can look forward to multiple career growth choices, depending on their interests and career aspirations. Many successful startups are founded by professionals, who started as freelancers , leveraging their experience and networking with the client base. Work experience thus gained also enables the graduates to build a strong skill base, making them attractive to corporate recruiters. Some gig professionals pursue higher studies, while working. Irrespective of the career option selected, it can be a rewarding career journey of earn-while-you-learn. Gig jobs offer flexibility in terms of the projects, clients, skills, and working hours and can also suit those pursuing further studies or career exploration. They also provide exposure to international clients in diverse industries, without the need for relocation. For those with 'Portfolio Career Mindset', they offer the choice of multiple income generating roles, simultaneously, depending on interest, skills and convenience. Top freelancers with the right skills can earn more than salaried peers. Challenges The biggest challenge in gig jobs is lack of assured income and job security, as they are temporary, project-based work, without social security benefits like PF, ESI, or health insurance. There is also the risk of credibility of the clients and possibility of delayed payments on platforms. Income growth depends on self upskilling, in alignment with the skills in demand. It depends entirely on the gig professional to manage his or her career growth. Need to ensure sustainability of gig economy In view of the excellent opportunity the gig sector presents in upskilling the youth to make them employable and contribute to the economic growth, all the concerned stakeholders - Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs), industry and government- need to play an active role to address the challenges and make it sustainable, scalable as well as viable. HEIs need to prepare students for gig roles by including modules on freelancing, digital marketing and financial literacy, besides imparting contemporary skills as a part of the curriculum, and conduct credit-based evaluation of the gig projects. They should collaborate with the industry to provide gig platforms and startups for short live project opportunities. Students should be encouraged to use platforms like GitHub, Dribbble and Kaggle to showcase their skills through live projects. They should set up mentoring and counseling support and also recognize top-performers. BITS, Pilani has introduced a module on Freelancing, whereas IIT Madras has tied up with Zoho for gig internships A number of companies, both Indian IT firms and MNCs, have already created dedicated gig platforms for engineers and have been offering micro-internships and gig projects to the students. They maintain pools of vetted freelancers for just-in-time hiring and created talent pipelines, offering regular employment to the well performing gig professionals. They also provide upskilling opportunities for the enrolled gig workers. TCS curated the Ion Digital Marketplace as the gig platform for cloud & AI freelancers wherein over 15,000 gig workers have been onboarded so far and about 40% of the top performers were absorbed into their projects. Wells Fargo, the U.S. banking MNC set up 'Gig Talent Pool' to hire Indian freelancers for fraud analytics and AI jobs. Government policies Recognising that the gig workforce is a vital pillar of India's new-age economy, driving innovation and efficiency across digital platforms, the Government of India announced during the 2025-26 budget that it has decided to provide them with identity cards, e-Shram registration, and healthcare security under PM Jan Arogya Yojana, as a transformative step towards their social security and well-being. This initiative is expected to empower nearly 10 million gig workers. A pilot initiative has already been undertaken by the Ministry of Labour & Employment to register platform workers and aggregators on the e-Shram portal. The Karnataka government has established a Platform-Based Gig Workers Welfare Board to provide social security and welfare benefits to gig workers in the state. More States are expected to follow suite in due course. India, with its large education and skilling ecosystem, has the potential to emerge as a Global Gig Hub for new-collar skills, which will power the future global economy. In order to realise it, the Government of India may consider setting up a Gig India Mission and formulate strategies and action plans and implement the same in a mission mode. Conclusion The New Collar gig economy presents not merely an attractive alternative but also a complementary pathway for the engineering graduates to acquire and harness the new-age skills. With the right policy interventions, academic reforms, and industry collaboration, gig careers can evolve from short-term sustenance models to long-term rewarding professional careers, offering opportunities for higher income, growth, and innovation to India's young talent. It is a golden opportunity for India to leverage the demographic dividend for achieving the goal of Viksit Bharat 2047 by way of right skilling the youth. (Prof (Dr) O R S Rao is the Chancellor of the ICFAI University, Sikkim. Views are personal )
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
PM's three-state tour: Modi to launch key projects in Bihar and Odisha- What's on his agenda?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will start his two-day visit to three states from Friday. The tour will encompass development project inaugurations in Bihar and Odisha, along with leading a mass yoga session on the International Day of Yoga . His schedule includes visits to Siwan, Bihar, and Bhubaneswar, Odisha, on Friday, where he will address public gatherings, according to an official statement. The occasion marks one year of the first Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Odisha, where PM Modi will preside over a state-level commemorative function. At Siwan, he will launch the Vaishali-Deoria railway line project valued above Rs 400 crore and initiate a new train service on this route. Enhancing north Bihar's connectivity, he will introduce the Vande Bharat Express service connecting Patliputra to Gorakhpur via Muzaffarpur and Bettiah. Supporting his "Make in India, Make for the World" initiative, Modi will dispatch an advanced locomotive manufactured at the Marhowra plant to the Republic of Guinea, marking the facility's first export. "They are equipped with high-horsepower engines, advanced AC propulsion system, microprocessor-based control systems, ergonomic cab designs and incorporate technologies like regenerative braking," the statement said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trading CFD dengan Teknologi dan Kecepatan Lebih Baik IC Markets Mendaftar Undo For Ganga's preservation, he will inaugurate six sewage treatment plants (STPs) under Namami Gange, worth over Rs 1,800 crore. The Prime Minister will initiate various water supply and power infrastructure projects, whilst distributing the first instalment of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) to more than 53,600 recipients. He will present house keys to select beneficiaries during the "Grih Pravesh" ceremony for over 6,600 completed dwellings. With Bihar's assembly elections approaching, the BJP-JD(U) coalition aims to maintain its position against the opposition INDIA alliance led by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). In Odisha, development projects worth over Rs 18,600 crore will be launched. These initiatives span drinking water, irrigation, agricultural infrastructure, health facilities, rural roads, bridges, national highways and railway expansion. Boudh district will receive its first railway connection, as Modi inaugurates new train services to the region. He will launch 100 electric buses under the Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT) programme, advancing sustainable urban transport. The Prime Minister will unveil Odisha's Vision Document, focusing on 2036, marking Odisha's centenary as India's first linguistic state, and 2047, India's independence centenary. His agenda includes recognising women achievers from the state. For the 11th International Day of Yoga, Modi will lead national celebrations from Visakhapatnam. He will conduct the Common Yoga Protocol (CYP) session at Visakhapatnam's beachfront with approximately five lakh participants, guiding the nation's synchronised yoga demonstration. Concurrent yoga events will occur at over 3.5 lakh locations nationwide. This year features special competitions including family yoga and youth-centred activities under Yoga Unplugged on MyGov and MyBharat platforms. The theme "Yoga for One Earth, One Health" emphasises human-planetary health connections, reflecting the universal wellness concept rooted in "Sarve Santu Niramaya". Since 2015, when the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) accepted India's proposal for June 21 as International Day of Yoga, Modi has led celebrations from various locations including New Delhi, Chandigarh, Lucknow, Mysuru, New York (UN headquarters) and Srinagar.
News18
a day ago
- Politics
- News18
PM Modi's 2-Day Visit To Bihar, Odisha And Andhra Pradesh: Check Itinerary Here
Last Updated: PM Modi's 2-day visit will focus on launching key development projects and leading the national celebrations of the International Day of Yoga. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a two-day visit starting Friday (June 20), covering Bihar, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. The tour will focus on launching key development projects and leading the national celebrations of the International Day of Yoga. PM Modi In Bihar On June 20, the prime minister will visit Siwan in Bihar, where he will inaugurate the Vaishali–Deoria railway line worth over ₹400 crore and flag off a new train on the route. He will also launch the Vande Bharat Express connecting Patliputra to Gorakhpur via Muzaffarpur and Bettiah, enhancing connectivity in north Bihar. Additionally, PM Modi will flag off India's first export locomotive from the Marhowra plant, built for the Republic of Guinea under the 'Make in India' initiative. In line with the Namami Gange mission, he will inaugurate six sewage treatment plants worth over ₹1,800 crore. He will also roll out water supply and power projects, release the first instalment of PM Awas Yojana (Urban) for over 53,000 beneficiaries, and hand over home keys to mark the completion of over 6,600 houses. PM Modi In Odisha Later on Friday, PM Modi will be in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, to mark the first anniversary of the BJP government in the state. He will unveil development projects worth over ₹18,600 crore across sectors like drinking water, irrigation, agriculture, health, rural roads, and national highways. He will also flag off a new train service to Boudh, marking the district's first integration into India's railway network, and launch 100 electric buses under the CRUT system for urban mobility. He will also release the Odisha Vision Document, outlining long-term goals for 2036 (when Odisha turns 100 as a linguistic state) and 2047 (India's 100th year of independence). The prime minister will also felicitate notable women achievers from the state. PM Modi In Andhra Pradesh On June 21, PM Modi will travel to Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, to lead the 11th International Day of Yoga celebrations. He will participate in a mass Common Yoga Protocol session at the beachfront, joined by nearly five lakh participants. This year's theme, 'Yoga for One Earth, One Health," emphasizes the link between human and planetary well-being. Over 3.5 lakh yoga events are expected to be held across India. First Published:
