Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik sanctions Rs 184 crore under MUKTA scheme

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday approved Rs 183.81 crore for 42 urban local bodies (ULBs) spread across 10 districts of Southern Revenue Division under the state’s flagship scheme MUKTA for 2023-24 fiscal.

The districts include Ganjam, Gajapati, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Malkangiri, Kandhamal and Boudh.

The objective of the Mukhyamantri Karma Tatpara Abhiyan Yojana (MUKTA) is to decrease unemployment rate.

The scheme, which was launched by Patnaik in 2020, creates job opportunities for the urban poor and migrant labourers.

The CMO said all the 42 ULBs have developed ward-wise feasible annual action plans under MUKTA through a participatory process involving local citizens and key stakeholders.

These projects are demand driven, technically feasible and environmentally sustainable and will be executed directly by Mission Shakti Groups as the implementing agency.

The Basket of Projects approved under MUKTA are climate resilient work, which includes creation of civic amenities (mini-park, open air gym, child playstation, playground, walking track, toilet, vending zones), open space development, water body development, construction of multi-purpose community centres, wall painting, city beautification and other labour-oriented works.

In the first phase, around 50 ULBs spread across Balasore, Bhadrak, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Khordha, Mayurbhanj, Nayagarh and Puri districts under the Central Revenue Division were covered.

In the 3rd phase, 36 ULBs of remaining 10 districts under Northern Revenue Division will be covered, an official said.