Minister Rabi Naik reviews works of Rural Development dept

Bhubaneswar: A state-level review meeting of the Rural Development Department was held today at the conference hall of the EIC Office in Bhubaneswar, under the chairmanship of Minister Rabi Narayan Naik.
The meeting focused on reviewing the progress of all 60 divisions under the department.

Minister directed that all construction projects must be completed within the stipulated time while maintaining high quality standards. He warned that delays would result in salary deductions for the responsible officers.
A comprehensive review of all ongoing schemes under the department was conducted. Shri Naik appreciated the department’s strong performance under PMGSY-4 at the national level, and congratulated officials for their achievements, especially in districts like Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, and Rayagada where projects were implemented in saturation mode.
Discussions were also held on the construction targets for the financial year 2025–26.

Under the MMSY, 5,000 km of roads across 521 projects are set to be constructed. Additionally, progress was reviewed on 400 bridges under the Setu Bandhan Yojana and the construction of 253 buildings.

The Minister expressed satisfaction over these developments but also addressed underperforming divisions, advising them on corrective steps and urging officers to take greater responsibility.
Naik stated that under the leadership of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, the state government is placing high importance on rural development, with appropriate budget allocations in place.

The Rural Development Department plays a crucial role in improving the lives of people in rural Odisha. Over the next five years, the department aims to construct 30,000 km of roads and 500 bridges, a goal he urged all officials to achieve with dedication.
He emphasized accountability in every project, instructing that monthly construction targets be set and monitored for each division.

A dedicated regional team will be formed to review the status of delayed projects.

He also made it clear that any negligence leading to delays or poor-quality work will be dealt with strictly — including holding responsible officials accountable, stopping salaries, and initiating departmental action.
Earlier in the meeting, Commissioner-cum- Secretary Yamini Sarangi presented updates on ongoing projects and progress across all 60 divisions. EIC Pradeep Kumar Jena welcomed participants and presented detailed reports on various construction initiatives. EIC Prasanna Kumar Sahu and EIC Debendra Seth briefed the Minister on project-specific matters.
The meeting was attended by senior officials including Sarbeswar Singh, Geetarani Pattnayak, Sanghamitra Satapathy, all senior engineers, and regional officers from all 60 divisions, who received guidance and directives from the Minister.