Bhubaneswar, 25 May (H.S.): In a major push towards achieving the vision of Vikshit Odisha 2036, Odisha Government on Monday launched two ambitious rural development initiatives — the Model Village Mission and the Mahapurusha Adarsha Grama Yojana (MAGY) — aimed at transforming villages through improved infrastructure, basic amenities and inclusive growth.
The schemes were formally launched by Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Minister Rabi Narayan Naik through a video conference with officials across all districts of the state.
The Model Village Mission has been conceived as a flagship programme to ensure saturation of essential services and community infrastructure in rural Odisha. The initiative seeks to provide urban-level amenities in villages and transform them into self-reliant and self-governing centres of development.
In its first phase, the mission aims to cover the headquarters villages of all 6,733 Gram Panchayats in Odisha by 2029. To identify infrastructure gaps and assess the availability of essential amenities, a comprehensive baseline survey will be conducted across villages.
During the launch programme, the Minister unveiled a detailed survey template prepared in consultation with multiple stakeholder departments, including Health and Family Welfare, School and Mass Education, Women and Child Development, Fisheries and Animal Resources Development, and Energy.
With the commencement of the baseline survey process, the Model Village Mission officially came into effect across the state. Naik called upon district administrations to ensure coordinated and time-bound implementation of the programme.
To oversee execution and convergence among departments, the government has constituted a State-Level Task Force under the chairmanship of Girish S.N.. District-level task forces headed by Collectors have also been formed to supervise implementation at the grassroots level.
On the occasion, the Minister also launched the Mahapurusha Adarsha Grama Yojana (MAGY), a flagship scheme designed to promote the holistic development of native Gram Panchayats associated with eminent personalities who have made significant contributions to Odisha’s social, cultural, literary and political landscape.
The scheme will be implemented over a three-year period from 2026-27 to 2028-29 and is expected to cover around 100 to 150 Gram Panchayats across the state. In the initial phase, the programme will be rolled out in 15 Gram Panchayats linked to 16 distinguished personalities across 12 districts.
Priority under the scheme will be given to infrastructure projects such as roads, piped drinking water supply, healthcare facilities, anganwadi centres, playgrounds, digital connectivity, solar energy infrastructure, memorial parks and restoration of ancestral homes. The programme will also focus on skill development, digital literacy, livelihood generation and social security measures.
The government said the scheme would be implemented through convergence of various Central and State-sponsored programmes, with dedicated committees at the State, District and Block levels monitoring progress and ensuring effective coordination.
Speaking on the occasion, Naik said the initiative would not only preserve and honour the legacy of Odisha’s eminent personalities but also contribute significantly to sustainable and inclusive rural development across the state.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda
