CM Majhi Lays Foundation for 471 Panchayat Offices, Launches Antodaya Gruha Yojana

Bhubaneswar: In a major step towards strengthening grassroots governance and empowering rural communities, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday laid the foundation stone for 471 new gram panchayat offices across Odisha.

The new offices, to be constructed in 28 districts excluding the bypoll-bound Nuapada and Kalahandi, aim to improve administrative efficiency and bring essential services closer to rural citizens. Each office will be developed at an estimated cost of ₹35 lakh, jointly funded by the Centre and the State Government, and will function as a ‘One Stop Service Centre’ for villagers.

Speaking on the occasion, CM Majhi said the initiative would make governance more people-centric and transparent. “These panchayat offices will serve as hubs of public service and welfare, ensuring that the benefits of government schemes reach every doorstep,” he said.

Alongside this initiative, the Chief Minister also launched the Antodaya Gruha Yojana, releasing the first installment of assistance to 48,693 families for constructing pucca houses. Each beneficiary received ₹40,000 as the initial installment. Under the scheme, a total of five lakh houses will be built between 2024–25 and 2027–28, with an overall outlay of ₹7,550 crore.

In the first phase, ₹194.77 crore has been disbursed across 28 districts. Beneficiaries will later receive ₹65,000 and ₹15,000 as the second and third installments, respectively, bringing the total assistance to ₹1.20 lakh. Additional incentives include ₹20,000 for completing construction within four months and ₹10,000 for completion within six months.

Majhi further announced that beneficiaries will also receive wages for 95 days in Integrated Action Plan (IAP) districts and 90 days in non-IAP districts, along with access to basic amenities such as drinking water and toilets. “The Antodaya Gruha Yojana will ensure safe and permanent housing for economically weaker and underprivileged families, allowing them to live with dignity,” he added.

Each upcoming panchayat office will have separate rooms for the Sarpanch, Panchayat Executive Officer, Junior Engineer, Gram Rozgar Sevak, and Accountant-cum-Data Entry Operator to streamline administrative work.

Several beneficiaries expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister for fulfilling their long-cherished dream of owning a home.

Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water and Rural Development Minister Rabi Naik, Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Director Vinit Bharadwaj, public representatives, and senior officials were present during the event.