Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government is set to rename the ‘Ama Odisha Nabin Odisha’ scheme to ‘Bikashita Gaan, Bikashita Odisha,’ panchayati raj and drinking water minister Rabi Narayan Naik announced on Saturday. Speaking to reporters in Bhubaneswar, minister Naik explained, “The government will issue new guidelines within two days to facilitate the renaming of the ‘Ama Odisha Nabin Odisha’ scheme, which was introduced by the previous BJD-led administration."
Under the new framework, village councils, or 'gram sabhas,' will have a decisive role in determining development priorities within their respective panchayats.
“This initiative will empower local panchayat members, giving them greater control over identifying and executing development projects,” Naik added.
The original scheme, launched during the tenure of the Naveen Patnaik-led government, aimed to enhance rural infrastructure and promote the cultural heritage of Lord Jagannath. It set ambitious targets, aiming to complete 90,723 development projects across 6,794 panchayats, with each panchayat receiving a financial allocation of Rs 50 lakh.
However, the scheme faced criticism due to alleged irregularities in its execution. Local elected representatives complained that their suggestions were often ignored when it came to deciding on projects, allocating funds, and overseeing their utilization. Controversy also surrounded the issuing of work orders, which were reportedly being managed by Junior Engineers (JEs), while Block Development Officers (BDOs) prepared the project lists that were then forwarded to district Collectors.
“The upcoming name change and new guidelines signal a shift in the state's approach, with an emphasis on local decision-making and greater transparency in the execution of rural development projects. The previous government had reduced the people’s representatives to puppets by curtailing their powers. Actual powers were enjoyed by officers,” said Biranchi Narayan Tripathy, BJP spokesperson.
