Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi launched a state-wide awareness and outreach drive in the form of ‘Vikas Vahan’ on Thursday marking the completion of one year of his government.
The Chief Minister flagged off the ‘Vikas Vahans’, the specially designed campaign vehicles, at Mahatma Gandhi Marg in Bhubaneswar.
Officials said these vans will travel across all 314 blocks, 115 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), and 5 municipal corporations in the state conveying the success stories of the development schemes of the government.
The primary objective of the initiative is to disseminate information about various government welfare schemes directly to the people, particularly those in remote and unreached areas, sources said.
According to sources, the Vikas Vahan will showcase the state government’s achievements over the past year and raise public awareness about its various welfare programmes.
Designed to move from panchayat to panchayat, the campaign vans aim to bridge the information gap and ensure grassroots-level engagement. Each van will serve as a mobile awareness unit, equipped with audio-visual materials and personnel to interact with the public.
Officials said the programme is part of the government’s larger goal to promote transparency and citizen participation while celebrating the milestones achieved during the first year of the BJP-led administration in Odisha.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Miniter highlighted some of the major achievements and initiatives of the government including Subhadra Yojana, ‘Viksit Gaon Viksit Odisha’,Antyodaya Gruha Yojana and several other schemes for the welfare of people belonging to Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes.
The Vikas Vahan Yatra is a 10-day program that will run from June 12 to June 21, covering all 6,794 Gram Panchayat headquarters and urban local bodies across 314 blocks in Odisha.
The campaign aims to reach out to eligible citizens who have yet to benefit from various welfare schemes, raise awareness about flagship programs, and gather feedback by engaging directly with beneficiaries.