Bhubaneswar: The SAHAJOG initiative, a pioneering effort by the Housing & Urban Development (H&UD) Department, was officially launched on Thursday by Dr. Krushna Chandra Mahapatra at a state-level event.
This innovative program is designed to enable the urban poor to access benefits under various government social sector schemes.
The launch event was attended by Usha Padhee, Principal Secretary of the H&UD Department, along with Secretaries and Nodal Officers from other departments and senior officials from the H&UD Department.
SAHAJOG is the first-of-its-kind initiative focused on identifying eligible beneficiaries from urban poor communities and linking them to appropriate schemes by creating mass awareness, delivering services at the doorstep, and strengthening implementation mechanisms at the urban local body (ULB) and district levels.
In its initial phase, the initiative will focus on a set of priority schemes, including: Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban), Ration Cards under NFSA, Pipe Water Supply, Ayushman Card, PWD Identity Card, Subhadra Yojana, Labour Card, E-Shram Card, Garima Scheme, PM Vishwakarma Yojana, Madhubabu Pension Yojana, Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana, and PM Suraksha Bima Yojana. Housing support under PMAY(U) will serve as the entry point for the saturation of other schemes for a family.
This initiative is based on the success of a pilot conducted across 6 ULBs, covering 5,000 households, which helped identify key gaps and strategies for effectively reaching the most vulnerable communities. In this phase, the SAHAJOG initiative will be rolled out in 44 ULBs across 8 districts, reaching over 15 lakh people. It will be gradually scaled to all ULBs across the state.
Implementation support will be mobilized from Swachh Karmis, Jalsathis, leaders of Slum Dwellers Associations (SDAs), Self Help Groups (SHGs), NGOs, community volunteers, and ULB frontline workers, who will play a crucial role in spreading awareness and facilitating eligible beneficiaries in submitting applications.
The execution will follow a fast-track, campaign-mode approach for the initial two months. Community volunteers and frontline workers will be incentivized based on milestone achievements. Interdepartmental Committees at the State and District Level have been formed for smooth coordination and execution of the initiative.
The District Level Committee is headed by the District Collector, with senior officers from other line departments as members to support the ULB team and monitor progress regularly. Monthly progress reviews will be held during District Development Committee meetings, and updates will be shared with the state. Additionally, Commissioners and Executive Officers will address scheme-related grievances every Monday during their regular grievance redressal sessions.
The SAHAJOG initiative aligns with the broader goals of the “Viksit Odisha” and “Viksit Bharat” missions. Through collaborative, citizen-centric approaches, Odisha continues to lead by example in inclusive and sustainable urban development, ensuring that no one is left behind.
