Odisha’s Jaga Mission bags Bronze at World Habitat Awards 2019

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Liveable Habitat Mission (OLHM) or the Jaga Mission for urban homeless has won a Bronze at the World Habitat Awards 2019.

“It is heartening to see our mission to empower millions of slum dwellers through Jaga Mission recognized by the world. Glad that it has set global benchmarks to empower urban poor with land rights & better facilities. I dedicate the award to people of Odisha,” said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

“Odisha’s pioneering initiative to give land rights to urban slum dwellers has been recognized globally as Odisha Liveable Habitat Mission won the Bronze at World Habitat Awards. The mission empowered millions by turning slums into livable habitats,” tweeted the Chief Minister’s Office.

#Odisha's pioneering initiative to give land rights to urban slum dwellers has been recognized globally as Odisha Liveable Habitat Mission won the Bronze at World Habitat Awards. The mission empowered millions by turning slums into livable habitats.
#OdishaWinsWorldHabitatAward pic.twitter.com/0oLT1UUC8k

— CMO Odisha (@CMO_Odisha) December 9, 2019

Odisha government launched the Jaga Mission in 2018 to give land titles to slum dwellers. It was initiated and implemented with the active involvement of Tata Trusts.

More than 50,000 families living in slums have been granted land rights under new legislation which is transforming the living conditions of 1.8 million marginalised people.

 The Land Rights to Slum Dwellers Act was passed by the Odisha government in 2017 as the first step in its pioneering programme to raise living standards in the state’s 2,919 slums.

Once implemented state-wide, the over $120 million USD project – which includes funding from Tata Trusts – will have issued land rights to 206,000 families, benefitting 1 million people. Affordable housing complexes built on government land will benefit a further 0.8 million people. The target for completion is 2021-2023, said the world habitat website.