The Odisha government, led by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, has allocated Rs 225.5 crore for 36 urban local bodies (ULBs) in 10 districts through the state-funded flagship program known as Mukhya Mantri Karma Tatpara Abhiyan (MUKTA) for the current fiscal year. This approval, given on Saturday, covers the ULBs in Dhenkanal, Angul, Keonjhar, Sambalpur, Sundargarh, Balangir, Subarnapur, Bargarh, Jharsuguda, and Deogarh districts, which fall under the revenue divisional commissioner (RDC), northern division.
This sanction marks the third and final phase of funding for ULBs under the MUKTA scheme. In total, the state has allocated Rs 833.2 crore in three phases, covering all 115 ULBs across 30 districts in Odisha. Last week, the state government approved Rs 183.8 crore in the second phase for 42 ULBs in the RDC’s southern division.
MUKTA was launched on April 18, 2020, with the objective of generating immediate and substantial employment opportunities for the urban poor, informal workers, and migrant laborers. Simultaneously, the scheme aims to address the need for climate-resilient, cost-effective, sustainable, and replicable community assets by implementing labor-intensive public works in all 115 ULBs.
The 36 ULBs included in this final phase have prepared feasible annual action plans on a ward-by-ward basis under MUKTA. This process involved active participation from local citizens and key stakeholders. The action plans were reviewed at the departmental level before receiving the chief minister’s approval. The projects that have been approved will be directly implemented by Mission Shakti groups, serving as the implementing agencies, as stated by the chief minister’s office.
The approved projects under MUKTA primarily focus on climate resilience and include the development of civic amenities such as mini parks, open-air gyms, child play stations, playgrounds, walking tracks, public toilets, and vending zones. Additionally, they encompass the development of open spaces, water bodies, the construction of multipurpose community centers, wall painting, city beautification, and other labor-intensive initiatives, according to the official statement.
MUKTA is a community-driven scheme specifically designed for community-based organizations like women’s self-help groups (SHGs) and associations of slum dwellers.
Prasanta Patnaik