Chhatrapur: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today launched Odisha Liveable Habitat Mission at a State-level programme held in Chhatrapur of Ganjam district today to provide land rights to urban slum dwellers.
The pilot mission, touted as world's largest slum-titling project is implemented by Odisha government in collaboration with Tata Trust and will benefit over 10 lakh urban slum dwellers in the state, informed sources.
Kicking off the project, Naveen distributed land pattas (Record of Rights) to around 2,000 slum-dwellers of eight urban local bodies of Ganjam and one NAC of Puri district in presence of Tata Trust chairman Ratan Tata, renowned architect Lord Norman Foster and land rights activist, Gautam Bhan.
Addressing the event, Patnaik said, "Odisha has shown the way to the entire country in empowering slum dwellers."
“As Chief Minister, I would love to see Odisha in the vanguard of creating this brave new world and do everything to make it possible,” Naveen said.
It may be mentioned here that the State Government had enacted the Odisha Land Rights to Slum Dwellers Act, 2017 seven months ago to provide land and property rights to slum dwellers in small towns and cities.
Patnaik also lauded Ratan Tata and Lord Norman Foster for supporting the initiative. "For over a century now, Tata has been a flag bearer of social justice. Your association with this initiative will be hugely beneficial in creating sustainable habitat for our people," he said.
In March, the government had signed an MoU with Tata Trusts to conduct field survey to accord land rights to identified slum-dwellers and help in rehabilitation and upgradation of slums. It will also provide the necessary technical support for the project, informed sources.