Odisha Issues Dedicated Number To Assist Homeless Access Shelters

Bhubaneswar: Amid the winter chill, the Odisha government has issued a dedicated mobile number to assist urban homeless get accommodation in nearby shelters in cities and towns across the state.

“As per the recommendation of the 13th state-level sheltering monitoring committee (SLSMC), a dedicated mobile number (9777668071) has been created to help the urban homeless gain easy access to the nearest shelter in cities,” project director of State Urban Development Agency (SUDA) Rabindra Kumar Sahu said in a letter to municipal corporations and executive officers of NACs and municipalities.

He further stated that the this number will allow people, who come across a homeless person, to report their location and direct them to the nearest shelter. “This initiative aims to improve accessibility to shelters and provide timely assistance to the homeless people,” he added.

They have been asked to display or fix the mobile number along with the contact number of the shelter management agency and officer-in-charge of the centre at busy places like railway stations, bus and auto stands, hospitals, temples and market places. The numbers have to be written in bold font (in Odia and English) so they are easily readable to access the location of a shelter, the letter added.