CM dedicates 8 more Aahar centres, city bus service in Koraput

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today dedicated another 100 pipe water supply projects, 8 Aahar centres in the state and announced a city bus service for undivided Koraput district at a function held at the State Secretariat here.

Speaking on the occasion, Patnaik said “This reflects my government’s commitment for the development of urban infrastructure and inclusive growth of the urban areas of our state”.

Stating that the government has moved further in the direction of providing safe drinking water to the people in the urban areas, the Chief Minister said these additional 100 water supply projects dedicated to the people today will be built at a cost of Rs 30.71 crore to benefit the people of 46 urban local bodies (ULBs) and four municipal corporations.

While dedicating eight more Aahar centres in the urban areas in the state, Patnaik said the Housing and Urban Development department had launched the programme in five municipal corporations on April 1, 2015 to provide cooked meal (steamed rice and dalma) at an affordable price of Rs 5 per meal to the poor and needy people, espeially patients, attendants of patients, construction workers, labourers, rickshaw pullers, auto drivers, street vendors and needy students coming to urban areas for different purposes.

In the first phase, 21 Aahar outlets were opened in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur, Rourkela and Sambalpur Municipal corporations.

In view of overwhelming response of the people, the state government later extended the programme to all 30 districts with the setting up of 100 more Aahar centres on April 14, 2015.

The eight Aahar centres dedicated by the chief minister today will be set up at Nilagiri Sub Divisional Hospital premises in Balasore district, near Sub Divisional Hospital at Kamakhyanagar in Dhenkanal district, at Chandikhol Chhak in Jajpur district, at Bypass Chhak near Pattamundai in Kendrapara district, at the Court premises in Anandpur of Keonjhar district, near the new bus stand at Karanjia and in front of the Block office at Udala in Mayurbhanj district and at new hospital premises at Konark in Puri district.

Besides, the Chief Minister also dedicated city bus service for Koraput-Jeypore-Sunabeda cluster in the undivided Koraput district.

This city bus service will be managed by a special purpose vehicle (SPV) namely, Jeypore, Koraput Sunabeda Urban Transport Trust (JKSUTT).

In the first phase, JKSUTT will operate 20 city buses at a cost of Rs 5.20 crore connecting Koraput, Jeypore and Sunabeda which will benefit around two-lakh population.

The city bus service will improve intercity and intra-city transport facility in the ULBs in Koraput district.

The notable feature of these city bus services is CCTV camera and public information system inside the bus.