Nabarangpur,1st Aug 2025: Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Rabi Narayan Naik, during his two-day visit to Nabarangpur district, conducted a review meeting on various developmental activities in the local Mission Shakti Conference Hall. Also present were School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond, Nabarangpur MLA Gourishankar Majhi, Jharigaon MLA Narsingha Bhatra, District Collector Dr. Subhankar Mahapatra, Nabarangpur Municipality Chairperson Kunu Nayak, MP Representative Kunjabihari Das, Chief Development Officer, Zilla Parishad CEO Biranchi Narayan Darobhan, Sub-Collector Prakash Kumar Mishra, and various departmental officials and BDOs. The meeting was chaired by the Collector.
The review focused mainly on roads, bridge construction, drinking water supply, MGNREGA implementation, progress of house allotment to beneficiaries, tribal development, and livelihood promotion through ORMAS. Departmental officials were questioned on these matters. The Executive Engineers of RWSS were instructed to prioritize progress in drinking water supply projects across panchayats.
Regarding transportation infrastructure, the minister emphasized proper coordination among officers in the Rural Development, Roads, and Housing departments to ensure smooth implementation of schemes like Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and other rural infrastructure projects.
However, the Minister expressed displeasure over the poor progress in house distribution to beneficiaries. In the 9 years from 2016–17 to 2024–25, a staggering 23,234 houses remain incomplete. He sought explanations for this delay.
BDOs explained that the delay was due to mismanagement of funds by some beneficiaries, unavailability of sand and construction materials, and rising prices of raw materials.
For the year 2024–25, work orders for 2062 houses have been issued.
As of July 18, out of 189 panchayats, proposals for 562 Amrit Sarovars have been approved, and work has begun on 159 of them.
Under ORMAS livelihood initiatives, the Minister directed proposals be sent to train masons, bar benders, and fitters, including providing livelihood skill development training.
In closing, the Minister urged officials to work in alignment with the vision of a Developed Odisha, and said he expects to see tangible progress in all sectors in Nabarangpur district.
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