Naveen Patnaik flags off LAccMi bus service in tribal dominated Rayagada in virtual mode
Dr.Badal Tah,Odishabarta
40 affordable buses will connect 130 GPs in 1st phase
Rayagada, November 26: Inaugurating the location accessible multimodal initiative (LAccMI) bus scheme in Rayagada in last Saturday, Chief Minister Naveen Pattanaik said that he could know the plights of Rayagada citizens from the CMO’s grievance redressal visit led by 5T Secretary V K Pandian, especially in the context of communication deficit and other issues. He launched 40 new buses under LAccMI scheme, which will cover 130 panchayats out of 182 panchayats in toto with 300 bus stoppages. In the second phase 12 more buses will arrive. This bus service will connect almost all panchayats to the block and district headquarters. Patnaik said the State Government is investing Rs 90 crore for nearly 2600 projects in Rayagada district under the ‘Ama Odisha, Nabin Odisha’ (Our Odisha, New Odisha) Program.
Pandian, who coordinated the event from Bhubaneswar, said that he had visited the district on the instructions of the Chief Minister. After receiving proposals from the people in Rayagada, the Chief Minister gave special approval to many important projects including the evelopment of many ancient temples and religious institutions namely Majhighariani Temple, Mattarvnam Temple, Devagiri, Balunkeswar Temple, CHatikana, Jagamanda, etc.
“Buses will ply even to most interior places like Niyamagiri and Putasing hilly areas where Primarily Vulnerable Tribal Groups(PVTGs) namely Dangaria Kandhas and Lanjia Sauras inhabit. It will boost the trades and commerce specifically of small and medium women vendors & entrepreneurs. With a strong network system the students will move with ease in commuting from home to school & colleges and the literacy percentage will ultimately increase. Rayagada has so many scenic tourist places & It will also promote tourism in the region”, said Laxmikanta Behera, Special Secretary, Department of Commerce & Transport, Govt of Odisha and Ex-ADM, Rayagada, who alongwith Rayagada Collector Swadha Dev Singh & Transport Commissioner Amitabh Thakur oversaw the overall arrangement of the event.
Smt Tukuni Sahu, Transport Minister of Odisha who joined the event at GCD ground Rayagada as Chief Guest, said that working women can travel from gram panchayat headquarters to block headquarters at a fare of Rs 5, which will boost the economy & bring change in the lives of people in Rayagada district. On the eve of Margasira month, this gift from CM has empowered the women from all walks of life. They are excelling in all fields and will excel in future. ST-SC Development & Law Minister Jagannath Saraka said that farmers, traders and mothers will benefit from LAccMI buses. Joining in the occasion Rayagada MLA Makaranda Muduli & Gunupur MLA Raghunath Gomanga said that the Chief Minister gives utmost importance to the opinion of the people & has dedicated his entire life for the development of the poor, tribals and women. Transport Secretary Usha Padhee, Special Development Council Chairperson Anusuya Majhi, Zilla Parishad Chairperson Saraswati Majhi shared the dais and briefly spoke on the occasion.
A local private transporter was anguished over the whole episode. According to him the private bus owners, who provided the service for long to interior areas of the district, were not involved in the process. As they are conversant with the local topography and community, the govt should have taken their assistance to strengthen the existing transport infrastructure base in the district to make the mechanism inclusive.
After the inaugural ceremony in GCD ground, a team including Collector Singh, RTO Siba Sankar Choudhury, Ex-Rajya Sabha MP N Bhaskar Rao, Amitabh Thakur & other dignitaries of the dais moved in a LAccMI bus to inaugurate a bus stop building at Halua. Collector Singh coordinated the entire event at local level.
