Bhubaneswar: The Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has assured that Orissa would continue to receive central attention for its development.

The assurance came when Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik called on him at New Delhi yesterday (Jun 11, 2004), an official release today (June 11, 2004) said.

While apprising the Prime Minister about the various development initiatives undertaken by the State Government, Patnaik sought continued support of the Centre for the State's development.

The Prime Minister assured that Orissa would continue to receive the attention of the Central Government for its development projects, the release said.

Patnaik sought the Prime Minister's intervention to expedite the establishment of the Regional Centre of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Bhubaneswar for which the State Government had already handed over land and preliminary construction work had started.

The Chief Minister, earlier in the day, met the Union Health and Family Welfare Minister A Ramdoss and requested for early allocation of funds for speedy completion of the AIIMS project.

The release said Patnaik also called on Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil to seek Central assistance on more liberal terms for modernisation of police force keeping in view the extremist activities.