JAGATSINGHPUR: Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Minister Rabi Narayan Naik inaugurated and laid foundation stones for 99 development projects worth around Rs 690 crore in Jagatsinghpur district on Friday.
The projects under the ‘Bikashita Gaon Bikashita Odisha’ scheme included mega drinking water, rural water supply, roads and bridge plans.
The minister inaugurated a mega drinking water project for 145 villages under Balikuda, Erasama and Naugaon blocks at an estimated cost of Rs 142.89 crore. The project will provide drinking water facilities to 26,759 families. Similarly, he launched 18 individual rural water supply projects worth Rs 25.13 crore, which will provide drinking water to 4,305 families in 33 villages. Foundation stones were laid for drinking water projects at Kunjakothi, Nuaratnapur and Bisanpur.
Naik also inaugurated 12 roads to be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 50.82 crore and a bridge valued at Rs 54.58 crore under the Rural Development department. In addition, stones were laid for 67 roads worth Rs 378.09 crore, seven bridges valued at Rs 44.15 crore and two building projects of Rs 23.15 crore.
On the occasion, the minister said the state government is committed to strengthening rural infrastructure by ensuring electricity and drinking water supply to every household and road connectivity to every village.
Among others, Industries Minister Sampad Chandra Swain, Jagatsinghpur MLA Amarendra Das, Balikuda-Erasama MLA Sarada Prasanna Jena, Tirtol MLA Ramakanta Bhoi and district collector J Sonal were present.