Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation launched a novel urban governance programme – Bhubaneswar FIRST, in the capital city on Friday. In a video message to the people of Temple City on the occasion, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has appealed to everyone to keep the city clean, green and beautiful.
Explaining the concept behind the “Bhubaneswar FIRST” initiative, the BMC authorities said that is it all about putting the city’s interest first, by all the city stakeholders, including citizens, public representatives and government agencies. “Whatever the profession, the age and economic or education status, everyone needs to embrace Bhubaneswar as their janmabhoomi or karmabhoomi before everything and hence, the initiative Bhubaneswar FIRST,” a release issued by the civic body stated.
The BMC-led initiative aspires to create ownership, participation and convergence at every level to realise the full potential of the city and to become the one defining and associative attribute to the denizens that they can subscribe to and own. In this regard the unique initiative of “Bhubaneswar First” will endeavour to engage all the stakeholders, including the citizens, to share responsibility with authorities and also develop a sense of civic ownership towards city assets and civic conditions, it added.
Convergence, cooperation, contribution, ownership and pride by both executives, people representatives and citizens would be the key propellants that will drive the “Bhubaneswar FIRST” initiative in the city’s overall development of the city, including sanitation, city illumination, infrastructure development, traffic, housing, transportation, education, water supply, health, vendor management, pollution management, city amenities, art, culture and tourism and grievance redressal among others.
Several unique developmental efforts are being taken to improve sanitation, living condition, and aesthetics and beautify the city. The citizens need to act consciously with a notion that every action they take shall have an impact on the city to strengthen and sustain the efforts.
The BMC will launch a campaign in the coming months to fire citizen ownership towards sanitation and city development initiatives under the Bhubaneswar FIRST initiative.
Speaking on the occasion, BJD MLA Ananta Narayan Jena said, “We should work together to realise the vision of our Chief Minister to make our city and state first. Bhubaneswar is a beautiful city to live in and we should work together to make it the best city in our country.”
Bhubaneswar Mayor Sulochana Das said, “The city is ours and we should take the responsibility to make it first in all aspects. Within a short span of time, the city has transformed a lot and it will continue to be more beautiful and liveable in the coming days with the participation of all.”
