The Centre on Friday unveiled a wide-ranging rural development package for Odisha, with a strong focus on connectivity, housing and livelihoods, as Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi jointly launched key initiatives in Rayagada.
The highlight of the programme was the rollout of the fourth phase of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY-IV), under which 827 new roads spanning about 1,702 km will be built at a cost of nearly Rs 1,700 crore. The projects aim to connect remote and hilly regions, improving access to essential services and boosting local economies. The Union Minister also handed over the formal approval letter for PMGSY-IV to the Chief Minister during the event.
The Centre further approved Rs 630.61 crore for completing pending rural houses under PMAY-G, Rs 868.71 crore as the first instalment under MGNREGA for 2026–27, and Rs 30.07 crore under WDC-PMKSY 2.0 for watershed development.
Addressing the gathering, Chouhan said the government remains committed to ensuring that no poor family lives in a kutcha house, while emphasising that roads act as lifelines for employment, education and healthcare. Majhi described the initiatives as transformative, stating they would accelerate the state’s “Samruddha Odisha, Viksit Odisha” mission by strengthening infrastructure, empowering women and enhancing farmers’ incomes.
The event, held on Labour Day, also saw beneficiaries being honoured and assistance distributed under various central schemes.
