BHUBANESWAR:Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday asked the district collectors to ensure that the target fixed by the State Government to complete five lakh houses under the Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana (BPGY) in 2015-16 is achieved.
Conversion of thatched houses to pucca houses under BPGY was one of the main poll promises of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD). The Chief Minister reviewed the implementation of the BPGY and other schemes through video-conference at the State Secretariat.
According to official sources, 3.48 lakh houses were completed in 2014-15 under Biju Pucca Ghar and Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) schemes. However, thousands of houses remained incomplete under the two schemes. The Chief Minister asked the collectors to complete the unfinished houses by May.
The Chief Minister also directed the collectors to organise training camps in rural areas for construction workers so that houses under different schemes can be completed on time. Besides, he asked the collectors to ensure that beneficiaries get instalments of financial assistance on time to complete the houses.
The State Government is going to launch free distribution of medicines for poor patients soon. Official sources said generic medicines will be distributed to the patients in three medical colleges and hospitals at Cuttack, Berhampur and Burla besides other hospitals. The scheme will be implemented through Odisha State Medical Corporation (OSMC).
The district collectors were asked to personally monitor the implementation of the schemes. The Chief Minister also asked the revenue divisional commissioners (RDCs) to regularly review the implementation of the scheme.
Implementation of Harischandra Yojana was also reviewed during the video conference. He asked the collectors to organise camps at the gram panchayat level to create awareness about the scheme.
Among others, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, Minister of State for Panchayatiraj Arun Sahu, Chief Secretary Gokul Chandra Pati and senior officials attended.