Bhubaneswar, 13 September (H.S.): Housing and Urban Development Minister Dr. Krushna Chandra Mahapatra on Sunday called for transforming the nationwide ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’ into a broad-based mass movement in Odisha, urging people from all sections of society to actively participate in initiatives aimed at public welfare and nation-building.

Speaking about the campaign, inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 25 years of public service, Mahapatra said Seva Sankalp should not remain confined to a series of programmes but should evolve into a people-driven movement rooted in the values of service, responsibility and social commitment.

He said Modi’s 25-year journey in public life symbolises dedication, service and nation-building and should inspire citizens to contribute to the welfare of society. Politics, he added, should not be restricted to elections, but must remain centred on serving people, addressing their concerns and bringing positive change to their lives.

In Odisha, the campaign will be taken to organisational districts, mandals and booth-level units, with special emphasis on reaching marginalised and vulnerable sections of society. Tribal communities, women, farmers, youth, the poor and deprived will be among the key focus groups. Volunteers will engage with these communities, understand their concerns and extend assistance wherever possible.

A range of service-oriented activities, including blood donation camps, cleanliness drives, shramdaan, plantation programmes, public awareness campaigns and social welfare initiatives, will be organised across the State. The Minister urged not only party workers and volunteers but also ordinary citizens to participate actively in such initiatives.

“The scale of service need not be massive; what matters is the magnitude of the spirit of service,” Mahapatra said, stressing that every individual can contribute to nation-building in their own way. Donating blood, planting trees, participating in cleanliness drives, helping people in need or assisting citizens in accessing government welfare schemes can all constitute meaningful acts of service, he said.

The campaign will give special importance to youth participation. Drawing, speech and discussion competitions will be organised at school and college levels on themes such as Viksit Bharat-2047, nation-building, public service and youth power.

Mahapatra said young people are not merely the future of Odisha and India but are also an important force in shaping the country’s development journey in the present.

The campaign will also focus on women’s empowerment, farmers’ prosperity, skill development among youth, welfare of the poor and the upliftment of tribal communities. Efforts will be made to strengthen awareness and community participation so that the benefits of Central and State government welfare schemes reach the last mile and the last beneficiary.

Describing Seva Sankalp as more than a month-long programme, Mahapatra said it should become a mindset, a responsibility and a long-term commitment towards society.

“The Seva Sankalp Abhiyan is not merely a month-long programme; it is a mindset, a responsibility and a long-term resolve. Prosperity through service, development through resolve, and a developed Odisha through public participation—this is our goal,” he said.

Urging the people of Odisha to participate wholeheartedly, the Minister said even small acts of service could create a meaningful social impact. A day of shramdaan, a unit of blood donated, a tree planted, helping a destitute person or making a needy citizen aware of government schemes and entitlements can contribute significantly to society.

“Let us not limit service to programmes alone; let us make it a way of life. Let us move from service to resolve, from resolve to development, and from development to a prosperous, empowered and developed Odisha,” Mahapatra said.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda