Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched the LAccMI Bus service in Balangir, Bargarh, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj and Sundargarh districts on Monday.
A total of 301 state-of-the-art buses will connect 1340 panchayats of these five districts under the scheme for the benefit of people in rural areas. It will benefit more than 83 lakh people of these districts.
A fleet of 44 buses were rolled out in 313 panchayats of Balangir which will benefit 16.50 lakh people. Similarly, 60 buses will ply in 243 panchayats of Bargarh which will benefit 14.22 lakh people, 25 buses will serve 10.80 lakh people in 158 panchayats of Keonjhar. Likewise, 24.20 lakh people in 386 panchayats of Mayurbhanj will be benefitted by 107 buses and 17.20 lakh people in 240 panchayats of Sundargarh will be benefitted by 65 buses.
Notably, the LAccMI Bus service was first started in Malkangari. In the first phase, the service was introduced in Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Kalahandi, Gajapati, and Koraput districts. In the second phase, the bus service was rolled out in Deogarh, Angul, and Dhenkanal districts.
Under this scheme, bus services will be offered every village in a district to the block headquarters. More than 1,000 buses will ply across the state. In this programme, launched under the 5T scheme, Mission Shakti members have been given the responsibility of operating the buses.
After inaugurating the service through video conferencing, Naveen said that my government is people’s government.
Speaking after launching the scheme through video conference, the Chief Minister said that LAccMI Bus service has made our life easier and it will play an important role in the economic development of villages.
This scheme has been started after knowing about the transportation problems of the people during district visits by the CMO officials. LAccMI buses will connect everyone. It will take children to school and college, patients to the hospitals, and connect farmers to markets. Mothers will also have access to various activities.
Stating that the progress of the state lies in the development of villages, Naveen said new awakening has come in the panchayats through the ‘Ama Odisha Nabin Odisha’ programme.
Digital infrastructure has evolved along with the spread of Jagannath culture, he said adding that development has become a mass movement and panchayats today and the Laxmi bus scheme has become the heart of development programmes.
The transformation of the village has paved the way for the transformation of Odisha, he said.
Stating that this development belongs to all of us, the Chief Minister expressed the hope that a new Odisha will be possible with the cooperation of all.
Speaking on the occasion, 5T and Nabin Odisha Chairman VK Pandian said that Gangadhar Meher lift irrigation project and Cancer Hospital in Bargarh will be inaugurated on February 20, 2024 by Chief Minister.
The development work of Pandit Raghunath Murmu’s birthplace is going on in full swing and development of all the tourist spots in Mayurbhanj will be done soon, said Pandian to the people of Mayurbhanj.
