Beneficiaries of ‘Jaga Mission’ return empty-handed in Balasore

Balasore: While Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik distributed land rights to landless slum dwellers through video conferencing as part of the ‘Jaga Mission’ in several districts of the State on Thursday, many beneficiaries in Balasore town returned empty-handed.

Apart from Balasore, the programme was also launched in Puri, Boudh, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Ganjam and Dhenkanal districts by the CM in the first phase.

According to reports, as many as 415 urban slum dwellers residing in Balasore municipality area were selected to receive land pattas by the government. But some were granted property rights whereas many were left discontented after they did not get the pattas.

“The concerned authorities had declared our names in the list of beneficiaries and called us to attend the meeting here. Though they had told us plots will be allotted to us, our names were not announced at the meeting,” alleged a slum dweller, Manorama Nayak.

Balasore district Collector, Ramesh Chandra Rout informed, “The CM launched the event in Balasore through video conferencing from Puri on Thursday. We have earmarked the land and identified beneficiaries who will get pattas in phases.”

More than 4,000 slum dwellers across the urban areas of Balasore would get land rights under the ‘Jaga Mission’, the Collector stated.