Balangir (Odisha) [India], November 15 (ANI): Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi participated in a state-level programme in Balangir district to distribute housing benefits and work orders to five lakh eligible beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G).
Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan was also present on the occasion.
During the programme, 248 projects worth Rs 911.14 crore were also inaugurated by CM Majhi and their foundation stones were laid across Balangir district. The projects cover several sectors, including healthcare, drinking water, irrigation, Anganwadi centres, additional classrooms, roads and hostels.
The programme also marked progress towards the establishment of an agricultural university in Balangir. Odisha Deputy Chief Minister KV Singh Deo thanked the Chief Minister and the Union Agriculture Minister for taking the project forward, saying that the university had been proposed in the state budget presented in March-April this year.
“On behalf of the public of Balangir, I would like to thank the Chief Minister of the state and Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan ji. In the budget that the Chief Minister presented in March-April, he had proposed an agricultural university in Balangir. And today, when he visited, he laid the foundation stone here at Pattharchapa Field,” Singh Deo said.
He said that arrangements had been made to begin academic activities at a temporary campus until the permanent campus was developed. According to him, the land for the permanent campus had also been allotted.
“We have already finalised a temporary campus where it will start temporarily, and when its permanent campus is built, land allotment has also been completed for where our agricultural university will be established,” he said.
Singh Deo further said that the recruitment process for teachers had begun, with an advertisement already issued after the tender process. He said classes would begin at the temporary location after the recruitment process was completed.
“Now, after floating the tender, the advertisement for recruiting teachers has already been issued. Very soon, after recruiting the teachers, we will start classes at the temporary location. With the students admitted after March of this year, we will begin the 2026–27 academic session,” he said.
Meanwhile, Odisha Rural Development Minister Rabi Narayan Naik described the programme as a historic occasion for both the state and Balangir district. He thanked the Union Minister, Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, Cabinet ministers and local legislators for the decisions and announcements made during the meeting.
"This day is historic for the state of Odisha and historic for Balangir district as well, because whatever decisions the Chief Minister, Shivraj ji Chouhan, the Deputy Chief Minister, the cabinet ministers here, and the local MLAs sat together and took in today's meeting, and whatever announcements were made today, I definitely thank Shivraj Singh Chouhan ji,” Naik said.
Highlighting the housing assistance announced during the programme, Naik said five lakh houses had been announced for Odisha. He said these would be in addition to the 1.02 lakh houses received earlier and more than five lakh houses under the Antyodaya Griha Yojana.
“Today, 5 lakh houses have been announced. We will receive 5 lakh, and combined with the earlier 1,02,000 received and the over 5 lakh received under the Antyodaya Griha Yojana, work worth ₹15,000 crore will be carried out altogether in the state of Odisha under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and Antyodaya Griha Yojana,” he said.
Naik said the combined housing work under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and Antyodaya Griha Yojana would amount to Rs 15,000 crore in the state.
BJP MP Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo also described the occasion as an auspicious day for Balangir.
“Yes, today is a very auspicious day for Balangir because Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan ji, who is also the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, arrived along with our Chief Minister. Here, 248 projects have been sanctioned at a cost of ₹911.14 crore,” Sangeeta Kumari said.
She said the announcement and foundation stone laying for an agriculture college and an agricultural university fulfilled a long-standing demand of the region, which she had also been pursuing.
“Today our very long-standing demand here for an agriculture college and agricultural university, which was also a major personal agenda of mine, was fulfilled today with its announcement and foundation stone laying via video conferencing,” she said. (ANI)
Odisha distributes housing benefits to 5 lakh beneficiaries, launches 248 projects worth Rs 911 crore in Balangir
