Odisha CM Grants Over Rs 423 Crore For 37 ULBs Under MUKTA Scheme

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday sanctioned Rs 423.87 crore for 37 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) under the state government’s MUKTA scheme for financial year 2023-24.

According to official sources, the fund will be utilised under the Mukhya Mantri Karma Tatpara Abhiyan (MUKTA) scheme in 10 districts of Central RDC in the first phase. Those districts are Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Jajpur, Jagatsinghpur, Bhadrak, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Khurda, Puri and Nayagarh. The ULBs of all 30 districts will be covered in next two phases.

The ULBs to be covered under MUKTA in first phase have prepared ward-wise feasible annual action plans through a participatory process involving local citizens and key stakeholders. The action plans, which have been screened before approval, will be executed by Mission Shakti groups.

The projects approved under MUKTA include climate resilient work covering creation of civic amenities like Mini Park, Open Air Gym, Child play station, Playground, Walking track, Loo, Vending Zones, and other public utility works like Open Space Development, Water Body Development, Construction of Multi-purpose Community Centers, Wall Painting, City beautification and other Labour-oriented works.

The chief minister had launched MUKTA on April 18, 2020 to create rapid, immediate and mass employment opportunities for urban poor, informal and migrant labourers, rendered unemployed and vulnerable due to the COVID pandemic.