In yet another move to woo the people of the State, the Naveen Patnaik Government will soon launch a programme to provide free medicines to the patients suffering from serious diseases like cancer. This would be another welfare programme to be added to a host of pro-poor schemes which include the Rs 5-meal and Re 1-rice schemes. Through a video-conferencing, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday directed district Collectors to implement the programme at the earliest. The patients would get generic medicines at different hospitals, including three medical colleges and hospitals, through the Odisha Medical Corporation.
Patnaik asked the district Collectors and RDCs to personally monitor things so that the system would work for 24x7 hours. The Chief Minister also reviewed several programmes launched by the Government including the Biju Pucca Ghar, Indira Awas Yojana and the Harischandra Sahaytata Yojana. It was revealed that a total of 3.48 lakh houses were constructed for homeless and landless under the Biju Pucca Ghar and Indira Awas Yojana in 2014-15 against the target of 5 lakh houses.
Patnaik directed the concerned implementing agencies to construct rest housed by May 2015. He also stressed on organising training programmes for masons and construction labourers on house construction techniques in rural areas. The Chief Minister directed to create awareness among the villagers about the Harischandra Yojna involving Self Help Groups. Among others Information and Public Relations Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, Panchayati Raj Minister Arun Sahu, Chief Secretary G C Pati, ACS to CM Aditya Prasad Padhi and Development Commissioner UN Behera were present.