NUAPADA: Housing and Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra on Tuesday visited Nuapada to review ongoing projects at Nuapada and Khariar Road NAC areas of the district.
During his visit, the minister inaugurated 46 projects worth Rs 5.12 crore in Nuapada NAC which included projects worth Rs 1.94 crore under MUKTA scheme and 22 roads constructed at Rs 3.18 crore. This apart, he also laid foundation stone for a 300-seater multipurpose hall and smart park.
Later, Mahapatra addressed a press meet where he spoke on the provisions made in the newly-presented state budget. Briefing mediapersons, he said the BJP government under Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has drawn a budget of Rs 2.65 lakh crore and welfare of all sections of people especially poor, youth, women and farmers will be ensured.
“As promised before elections, the Subhadra Yojana has been implemented and provision of Rs 10,000 crore made for empowering women. We have also resolved to make 25 lakh women in the state Lakhpati Didis. To protect the Odia Asmita, our government has formed a corpus fund of Rs 200 crore. Besides, adequate funds have been set aside for facilitating lift irrigation and constructing check dams for the farmers,” Mahapatra said.
He further pointed out that BJP has fulfilled the promise of increasing MSP to Rs 3,100. “Plan for cold storage in every block will materialise soon,” he said. The minister further informed that Rs 265 crore has been allotted under Madho Singh Haath Kharcha Yojana for education of tribal children and to reduce dropouts.
“Old age pension has also been increased to Rs 3,000. The state is expected to get 15 lakh houses for rural areas and 5 lakh houses for urban areas under the PMAY scheme. It is definitely a pro-people budget,” Mahapatra said.
The minister further stated that Rs 200 crore will be spent on preparation of DPR and master plan for drainage and other infrastructural problems in urban areas. “More than Rs 10,000 crore will be spent on urban development including construction of roads, pipelines, drainage system and other infrastructure. In the next five years, our government will transform Odisha into a developed state and keep all the promises made to people during elections,” he assured.
BP leader and former Kalahandi MP Basanta Panda and Nuapada MLA Rajendra Dholakia besides chairpersons of both the NACs were present.