Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi unveiled several digital governance tools aimed to enhance transparency and public service delivery on the occasion of Good Governance Day, marking the birth anniversary celebrations of former Prime Minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Thursday.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said the 18-month-old BJP government has been working tirelessly for the welfare of Odisha’s 4.5 crore people, drawing inspiration from Vajpayee’s mantra of good governance and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administrative reforms.
“Vajpayee Ji was the epitome of political ethics and ideals, serving as their finest brand ambassador. He embraced public service and national duty as his religion,” he said.
The new initiatives launched on the occasion included the CM Dashboard for real-time monitoring of various projects and schemes, the expansion of the Odisha State Wide Area Network (OSWAS) system to district and block levels to promote paperless governance, and the ‘Ama Sathi Unified WhatsApp Chatbot’ dedicated to providing information on advanced healthcare services and water supply.
The chatbot is set to make over 150 essential government services will be accessible to citizens. “These initiatives will strengthen good
governance in the state,” the Chief Minister said.
The programme, organised by the Information and Public Relations Department at the OUAT Agriculture Education Hall in Bhubaneswar, featured a photo exhibition on Vajpayee’s life, which the CM inaugurated. He also awarded prizes to meritorious students who participated in speech and drawing competitions held by the department.
Paying rich tributes to Vajpayee, Majhi described him as a seasoned politician, poet, writer, and philosopher of Indianness who never treated politics as a mere profession. “Whether in power or opposition, he always prioritised national interest,” Majhi said. He highlighted Vajpayee’s landmark contributions to India’s development, including the Golden Quadrilateral project, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, and the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act.
The CM also recalled Vajpayee’s specific contributions to Odisha, such as the establishment of AIIMS in Bhubaneswar, leadership during the 1999 super cyclone for rescue, relief, rehabilitation, and reconstruction efforts, and major projects like the East Coast Railway, Paradip oil refinery, and Paradip-Haridaspur railway line.
Inspired by Vajpayee’s ideals, PM Modi has given a new vision to India, focusing on development and security, Majhi said. Aligning with Modi’s mantra of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas’, the Odisha government is committed to the all-round development of four key societal pillars: women, the poor, youth, and farmers.
Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister offered floral tributes at Vajpayee’s statue in the AIIMS Bhubaneswar premises.