Posted On:
14 NOV 2026 6:41PM by PIB Delhi
Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan today announced five lakh pucca houses for poor families in Odisha under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana–Gramin. Addressing a state-level program of the scheme in Balangir in the presence of Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi. The program also witnessed the foundation stone laying for a new agriculture college in Balangir. Deputy Chief Minister and Agriculture Minister Shri Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Minister Shri Ravi Narayan Nayak, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Mukesh Mahaling, Member of Parliament Smt Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo, and local legislators Shri Naveen Kumar Jain, Shri Laxman Bag and Ms Rupa Mishra were among those present.
Shri Chouhan said that a fresh and proper survey had now been completed and no poor family would be left living in a kutcha house. All eligible families would receive pucca houses in a phased manner. He also announced that the Centre and the state government would jointly provide subsidies for installing solar panels on houses. This would help beneficiaries bring their electricity bills down to zero and earn additional income by selling surplus electricity.
29 lakh women become Lakhpati Didi in Odisha; ₹10 lakh crore credit initiative for women
Paying tribute to the strength and contribution of women, Shri Chouhan said that the Subhadra Yojana, under which women receive ₹10,000 annually, had strengthened their confidence and enhanced their dignity. He appreciated Odisha for achieving the target of 27 lakh Lakhpati Didis a year ahead of schedule, with 29 lakh women now having attained this status under the leadership of Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi. The Union Minister said that, over the next five years, loans worth ₹10 lakh crore would be extended through banks to women across the country to help more women become Lakhpati Didis. He added that access to credit would no longer be limited to members of self-help groups. Women who wish to start their own businesses or livelihood activities individually would also be able to obtain loans without the requirement of a guarantee.
Balangir agriculture college to become the country’s leading institution; solar power to support farmers
Describing service to farmers as akin to worshipping God, Shri Chouhan assured that the new agriculture college in Balangir would be developed into the country’s finest agricultural institution with the support of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the Government of India. Leading agricultural scientists from across the country would work with farmers and help address their needs. He said that a comprehensive roadmap is being prepared in coordination with the Odisha government to modernise agriculture in the state. Under a proposed initiative, solar panels would be installed above agricultural fields, allowing farmers to cultivate fruits and vegetables beneath them. This would enable farmers to earn from both agriculture and solar power. Shri Chouhan also said that the names of eligible farmers who had been left out of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme had now been added to the beneficiary list.
Every panchayat to receive ₹1–2 crore for development; mafia networks dismantled
Outlining the government’s plans for rural development, Shri Chouhan said Odisha would receive approximately ₹4,000 crore this year under the Viksit Bharat–G RAM G scheme. This would provide every panchayat with ₹25 lakh to ₹50 lakh annually. Over five years, smaller panchayats would receive up to ₹1 crore and larger panchayats up to ₹2 crore for development works. The funds could be used to build roads, drains, schools and panchayat buildings, improve road connectivity to farmers’ fields and construct ponds for water conservation. He further said that, following the approval of 1,700 kilometres of roads under the fourth phase of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, all remaining villages would also be connected through pucca roads.
‘Viksit Odisha’ vision rooted in the state’s culture and people
Paying tribute to Balangir’s rich cultural heritage, including its Nuakhai festival and Dalkhai and Rasarkeli dances, Shri Chouhan called upon the people to work together towards building a developed Odisha. Addressing the large gathering in his characteristic warm and personal style, he said he had not come as a distinguished guest or visitor, but as a humble public servant in his capacity as Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development. He said he saw Lord Jagannath in the living and vibrant people of Odisha and the image of Subhadra Maiya in the women of the state. Praising Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi, Shri Chouhan described him as a simple, approachable and dedicated public servant who worked tirelessly. He said that, with the objective of realising Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat, the Chief Minister was working towards building a Viksit Odisha.
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PU