Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Majhi on Wednesday flagged off 25 advanced electric buses and inaugurated the ‘Ama Bus’ depot, built at a cost of Rs 17 crore, in Odisha’s Keonjhar.
Hailing the transformative change in urban mobility, the Chief Minister noted that the e-bus service is expected to reduce carbon emissions by 330 to 390 tonnes annually. He added that the service will be expanded to other cities in the state in the coming days, with about Rs 238 crore allocated for maintenance and upkeep.
CM Majhi described the appointment of 30 women as bus guides and two as drivers in the service as a milestone that strengthens the state government’s ‘Mahila Shakti’ (Women Power) campaign.
According to a CMO release, all buses are fully air-conditioned and equipped with advanced safety features, including CCTV cameras, panic buttons, and GPS tracking, ensuring secure travel—particularly for women. Fares will start as low as Rs 5, making daily commuting highly affordable for students, workers, and low-to middle-income groups.
During the visit to his home const
ituency, the Chief Minister oversaw projects totalling Rs 1,330 crore, encompassing 187 initiatives. These included inauguration of completed projects, foundation-laying ceremonies, and announcement of new schemes, which are expected to speed up the district’s development trajectory and ensure better connectivity in Keonjhar. Foundation stones for 62 projects worth nearly Rs 705 crore were laid across various parts of the district, 24 completed projects worth about Rs 251 crore were dedicated to the public while a package of nearly Rs 375 crore was announced for 101 new projects.
CM Majhi emphasised that development has accelerated in the district since his government came to power. He announced that the process for setting up a mega steel plant in Keonjhar is in its final stages. The foundation stone is expected to be laid soon, with the goal of transforming the district into one of the country’s foremost industrially prosperous regions.
He described the next 10 years as the “Decade of Resolve” for Odisha and stressed that Keonjhar will play a pivotal role in building a prosperous state by 2036.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister distributed financial aid of Rs 5.75 lakh to six beneficiaries from the district. This included, marriage assistance of Rs 50,000 to Hemant Mahanta, death assistance of Rs 3.05 lakh to Labanga Mahanta and support under‘Udyami’ (entrepreneurship) scheme to self-help groups and individuals, ranging from Rs 40,000 to Rs 60,000 each.