Centre Announces 5 Lakh Pacca Houses for Odisha, Lays Foundation for Balangir Agriculture College

BALANGIR: Union Minister for Agriculture, Farmers’ Welfare, and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday announced the sanction of five lakh pucca houses for poor families in Odisha under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana–Gramin (PMAY-G).

Addressing a state-level program in Balangir alongside Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Chouhan stated that a fresh survey has been completed to ensure no poor family in the state is left living in a kutcha house. All eligible beneficiaries will receive permanent housing in a phased manner. During the event, the leaders also laid the foundation stone for a new agriculture college in Balangir.

Major Announcements & Initiatives

• Housing and Rooftop Solar Subsidies: Alongside the five lakh new houses, the Centre and the Odisha government will jointly provide subsidies for installing rooftop solar panels. Chouhan noted that this initiative will help rural households reduce their electricity bills to zero while generating extra income by selling surplus power.
• Boost for Women Entrepreneurship: Praising the state for surpassing its target of 27 lakh ‘Lakhpati Didis’ a year ahead of schedule—reaching 29 lakh—Chouhan lauded the impact of Odisha’s Subhadra Yojana. He announced a nationwide credit initiative to extend ₹10 lakh crore in bank loans over the next five years to women. Crucially, collateral-free loans will now be available to individual women entrepreneurs, expanding beyond Self-Help Group (SHG) members.
• Agricultural Modernisation: Assuring that the new Balangir agriculture college will be developed into one of India’s premier institutions with backing from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), the Union Minister unveiled a plan to install elevated solar panels over farmlands. This dual-use model will allow farmers to cultivate fruits and vegetables underneath while earning additional revenue from solar energy. He also confirmed that previously excluded eligible farmers have now been added to the PM-KISAN beneficiary list.
• Rural Infrastructure Push: Outlining rural development allocations, Chouhan announced that Odisha will receive roughly ₹4,000 crore this year under the Viksit Bharat–G RAM G scheme. This translates to ₹25 lakh to ₹50 lakh annually per panchayat, totaling ₹1 crore to ₹2 crore over five years for building roads, drains, schools, and water conservation ponds. Additionally, with 1,700 km of roads approved under Phase IV of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), all remaining unconnected villages will soon get all-weather road access.

Leadership and Cultural Tribute

Paying tribute to Western Odisha’s cultural heritage—including the Nuakhai festival and traditional Dalkhai and Rasarkeli folk dances—Chouhan urged citizens to unite for the vision of a ‘Viksit Odisha’. He commended Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s grassroots approach and tireless governance in aligning the state with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Viksit Bharat’ mission.

Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, Panchayati Raj Minister Ravi Narayan Nayak, Health Minister Dr. Mukesh Mahaling, MP Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo, and local MLAs Naveen Kumar Jain, Laxman Bag, and Rupa Mishra were also present at the event.