Balangir: Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday announced five lakh houses for poor families in Odisha under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G), saying no eligible household would be left without a pucca home.
Making the announcement at a state-level programme in Balangir, attended by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Chouhan said a fresh survey had been completed and houses would be sanctioned to eligible families in phases. He also announced subsidies for rooftop solar installations to help beneficiaries reduce electricity bills and earn additional income by selling surplus power.
Highlighting women’s empowerment, Chouhan said Odisha had 29 lakh Lakhpati Didis, crossing its target of 27 lakh a year ahead of schedule. He said banks would extend loans worth ₹10 lakh crore to women across the country over the next five years. Women entrepreneurs, including those outside self-help groups, would be eligible for collateral-free loans.
The minister also laid the foundation stone for a new agriculture college in Balangir and said it would be developed into a leading institution with support from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
Under the Viksit Bharat–G RAM G scheme, Odisha is expected to receive around ₹4,000 crore this year. Each panchayat will get ₹25 lakh to ₹50 lakh annually, with total allocations over five years reaching up to ₹1 crore for smaller panchayats and ₹2 crore for larger ones.
Chouhan also said 1,700 km of roads had been approved under the fourth phase of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana.