What is the new 'SAHAJOG' initiative launched by the Odisha government for urban poor?

Bhubaneswar, May 1 (NationPress) The Odisha Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) department minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra has formally introduced a groundbreaking initiative named SAHAJOG aimed at assisting the urban poor in gaining access to benefits from various government social sector programs.

According to a statement from the H&UD department, SAHAJOG is a pioneering program designed to identify eligible beneficiaries within urban impoverished communities and connect them to suitable schemes by fostering mass awareness, providing services directly at their homes, and enhancing the operational frameworks at both the urban local body (ULB) and district levels.

The H&UD department further clarified that during its preliminary phase, the SAHAJOG initiative will prioritize a range of essential schemes, including Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban), Ration Cards under NFSA, Pipe water supply, Ayushman Card, PWD identity Card, Subhadra Yojana, Labour Card, E-Shram Card, Garima Scheme, PM Vishwakarma Yojana, Madhubabu Pension Yojana, Sukanya Samridhi Yojana, and PM Suraksha Bima Yojana.

The housing assistance targeted at the urban poor under PMAY (U) will act as the gateway for integrating other schemes for families.

This new initiative was launched following the successful execution of a pilot program conducted across six ULBs, which encompassed 5,000 households and helped pinpoint critical gaps and effective strategies for reaching the most vulnerable populations.

“In this phase, the SAHAJOG initiative will be deployed in 44 ULBs across eight districts, reaching over 15 lakh individuals. It will eventually expand to all ULBs throughout the state. The eight districts involved include Khordha, Cuttack, Ganjam, Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, and Bhadrak, where urban poverty is notably prevalent,” stated the H&UD department.

It was also mentioned that implementation support will be sourced from Swachh Karmis, Jalsathis, leaders of Slum Dwellers Associations, Self Help Groups (SHGs), NGOs, community volunteers, and ULB frontline workers, all of whom will play a vital role in disseminating information and aiding eligible beneficiaries in application submissions.

The execution will adopt a rapid, campaign-like approach for the first two months.

Community volunteers and frontline workers will receive incentives based on their achievement of milestones.

Interdepartmental Committees at both State and District levels have been established to ensure seamless coordination and execution of the initiative.

The district-level Committee will be chaired by the District Collector, with senior officers from other line departments participating to support the ULB teams and regularly monitor the progress.

Monthly progress assessments will be conducted during District Development Committee meetings, and updates will be communicated to the state.

Moreover, Commissioners and Executive Officers will address grievances related to the schemes every Monday during their regular grievance redressal sessions. This initiative aligns with the “Viksit Odisha” and “Vikasit Bharat” Missions.

Upon launching the program, the H&UD Minister stated that from today until June 20, the initiative will transform into a mass movement, and eight Collectors from the respective districts have been instructed to form local committees.

In the future, an app will be developed to connect eligible beneficiaries.

The minister also indicated that after completion in urban areas, the initiative will extend to rural beneficiaries. Currently, 44 ULBs across eight districts are included.