Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday inaugurated two major affordable housing projects and 12 modern playgrounds in the city, while launching the PMAY-Urban BANDHU scheme aimed at providing housing support to migrant workers and lower-income families.
Speaking at the event in Ghatikia, the Chief Minister said, “We want to build a Bhubaneswar where poor families can live with dignity, workers can get affordable housing, the youth can develop their talents and every citizen can live a healthy and prosperous life.”
Majhi inaugurated ‘Nilakanteshwar Residency’ in Ghatikia (928 houses on over 5 acres, built at a cost of Rs 66.48 crore) and ‘Muktaswar Residency’ in Gadakana (680 houses on more than 6 acres, costing about Rs 95 crore). Together, the projects provide 1,608 affordable houses.
He also inaugurated 12 state-of-the-art playgrounds developed by the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) at locations including Bajrangi, K-4, Kolathia, Tamando, Nakhara, CBSE Regional Office, Yadupur, Damana High School, Unit-2 Girls High School, Bhubaneswar Central UP School, Ghatikia, Unit-8 Boys High School and Shaheed Nagar High School.In addition, 962 families were provided shelter in Budha Vihar, Nilamadhav, Subudhipur and Shantipalli.
Highlighting the importance of housing, the Chief Minister noted that after food, a “roof over the head” is the most essential need. He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, which not only provides houses but also basic amenities such as toilets, piped drinking water, electricity and cooking gas.
Majhi informed that more than 2 lakh houses have been sanctioned under PMAY-Urban in Odisha, while the state government aims to provide around 5 lakh houses through the Antyodaya Griha Yojana.
The Chief Minister also launched the “PMAY-Urban BANDHU” scheme to offer affordable housing to migrant workers and lower-income families, enabling them to live near their workplaces at low rent. Housing loans have been facilitated through banks and financial institutions. He laid the foundation stone for an Affordable Housing Project at Gadakan under the scheme.
On the occasion, Majhi handed over allotment letters to beneficiaries of Neelkantheshwar Residency (Laxmidhar Sethi, Naimuddin Khan, Ramachandra Sethi and Rasik Khandayatray) and Muktaswar Residency (Nirmala Barik, Shashmita Patra, Rupa Sahu and Draupadi Devi). He also distributed bank loan assistance ranging from Rs 1.20 lakh to Rs 1.35 lakh to several beneficiaries, including Tulsi Tiria, Durga Charan Singh, Rashmika Naik, Sarveshwar Gaya and Prafulla Maharana.
Housing and Urban Development Minister Dr Krushna Chandra Mohapatra said the new houses would give slum dwellers a proper address and positively impact their education and social status. Ekamra-Bhubaneswar MLA Babu Singh remarked, “We did not need 24 years to realize this dream, but 24 months was enough.”
Among those present were Khurda MLA Prashant Jagdev, Bhubaneswar Mayor Sulochana Das, BDA Vice Chairman and BMC Commissioner Chanchal Rana, and BDA Secretary Manas Ranjan Padhi.The initiatives are expected to contribute towards making Bhubaneswar a safer, more inclusive and balanced city.
