SAMBALPUR: Padma Shri awardee and legendary Sambalpuri folk singer Jitendra Haripal was on Friday sanctioned a house under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) 2.0, bringing relief to the veteran artiste whose crumbling ancestral home and living conditions had attracted attention.
Sambalpur collector Siddheshwar Baliram Bondar handed over the work order to Haripal at his office. The folk icon, best known for the timeless ‘Rangabati’, had last year appealed to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi for assistance in building a permanent home.
Haripal has been sanctioned financial assistance of Rs 2.5 lakh for construction of the house. The district administration said all necessary support would be provided to ensure completion of the dwelling unit within the stipulated timeframe.
The collector said the sanction was approved for a plot of land near Haripal’s old house, which was transferred to his name following the death of his wife earlier this year.
Haripal’s ageing four-room mud house in Stationpada, which bore witness to his long musical journey, had partially collapsed during the Covid pandemic. The condition of the house had again come under scrutiny after heavy rains in July last year damaged portions of the structure, prompting the veteran singer to renew his plea for government support.
Haripal remained ineligible for housing benefits under government schemes as his ancestral house stood on government land. He and his family have since been living in a rented house at Jagannath Colony, while the Stationpada house continues to remain in a dilapidated state.
One of Odisha’s most celebrated folk artistes, Haripal continues to be synonymous with ‘Rangabati’, the iconic Sambalpuri song that has transcended generations and geographical boundaries.