Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday said strengthening rural connectivity is central to building a “Samruddha Odisha” at the launching of the fourth phase of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY-IV) in the state.
The scheme was formally launched at a state-level function in Rayagada in the presence of Union Rural Development and Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
Highlighting the importance of rural infrastructure, the Chief Minister said that development of villages is fundamental to achieving overall progress. “The vision of a prosperous Odisha cannot be realised without connecting rural areas to the mainstream,” Majhi said, recalling the vision of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, under whom the PMGSY was originally launched.
Under PMGSY-IV, projects worth around ₹1,700 crore have been sanctioned for eight districts, aiming to construct 1,702 km of all-weather roads across 898 villages. A total of 827 roads will be built in Kandhamal, Keonjhar, Khordha, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Rayagada and Sambalpur districts, with funding shared between the Centre and the state in a 60:40 ratio.
Majhi noted that special emphasis has been placed on aspirational and remote regions, with 442 roads alone to be taken up in Rayagada and Malkangiri districts.
The Chief Minister also announced additional infrastructure initiatives in Rayagada, including the inauguration of three major drinking water projects worth ₹97 crore benefiting 98 villages, and the laying of foundation stones for 13 development projects costing ₹104.56 crore across multiple blocks.
Reiterating the government’s focus on holistic rural development, Majhi said the state has launched the ‘Mission Powar’ (Power-Water-Road) campaign to ensure basic amenities in every habitation with a population of over 50. He added that ₹34,104 crore has been allocated for the Panchayati Raj Department and ₹10,204 crore for the Rural Development Department in the current budget.
“To ensure quality and transparency, a three-tier monitoring mechanism will be implemented in road construction,” he said, adding that ₹550 crore has been earmarked for maintenance of rural roads in 2026-27, along with ₹150 crore received as central incentive support.
Invoking Mahatma Gandhi, Majhi said, “The soul of India lives in its villages. When a road reaches a village, it opens multiple pathways for development,” asserting that PMGSY-IV will act as a lifeline for rural Odisha.
Addressing the gathering, Chouhan said the Centre’s objective is not only to connect villages through roads but also to ensure inclusive development. “No village will remain deprived of basic amenities,” he asserted, adding that a team of agricultural scientists will be sent to Odisha to promote integrated farming and transform villages into ‘Seed Villages’.
Union assistance of ₹630 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin) and ₹30 crore under the Watershed Development Component of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (WDC-PMKSY 2.0) was also announced on the occasion.
State Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Minister Rabi Narayan Naik said the rural roads scheme, launched 26 years ago, has significantly accelerated village development and economic growth.
Several public representatives, including MLAs Apala Swami Kadraka, Satyajit Gomango and Nilamadhab Hikaka, along with senior officials from the Centre and state government, attended the programme.
