BHUBANESWAR : The state government is all set to launch the ‘Mahapurush Adarsh Gram Yojana’ under which villages of eminent personalities like freedom fighters, poets, authors and artists etc., will be developed.
Announcing the initiative here on Monday, minister of Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Rabi Narayan Naik said the state government plans to develop around 100 to 150 villages under the scheme in a bid to improve the rural infrastructure and living standards of people residing in these villages.
“Mahapurush Adarsh Gram will represent the Asmita of the Odia people. Many great persons of the state were born in small, underdeveloped villages. While their contributions are remembered, their birthplaces remain neglected. This scheme aims to develop infrastructure, employment opportunities, education and healthcare facilities in these villages,” the minister told mediapersons.
He said the initiative is a part of the government’s efforts to enhance rural development and reduce disparities between urban and rural areas. The process has already been started by the Mohan Charan Majhi government and the scheme will be rolled out soon, Naik added.
Targeting the previous BJD government for forgetting to preserve the legacies of the great sons of the soil, the minister said the BJP government is taking serious steps to honour them and make their stories known to the people of Odisha. The new initiative will be entirely funded by the state government, he added.
The Panchayati Raj Department will implement the initiative in convergence with other departments to ensure comprehensive development including construction of roads, provision of water supply, schools, healthcare centres and livelihood opportunities.
The minister said the state government will soon announce a high-level committee headed by the chief secretary to implement the initiative. The district collector will be in charge of the implementation of the scheme at the district-level, while at the block-level, the block development officer (BDO) will execute the scheme.