CM flags off 32 more buses to LWE hit areas in Odisha

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Feb 24:

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today flagged off 32 buses as part of the Biju Gaon Gadi Yojana (BGGY) aimed at improving road communication in Maoist affected areas of Odisha.

The 40-seater buses were flagged off at a function held at the head office of the Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC) here.

Of the 32 buses launched today, nine each are meant for the Rayagada and Jeypore units, six for Nabarangpur, three each for Malkangiri and Kandhamal and two for Brahmapur.

“The state government has launched the ‘Biju Gaon Gadi Yojana’ to bring improvement in transpotation facilities in the left wing extremism (LWE) affected areas. 25 buses are already in service in these areas. Today, 32 more buses will start operating in the undivided districts of Koraput, Ganjam and Kandhamal. This bus service will certainly be of great help to the people of these areas,” the Chief Minister said on the occasion.

“The state government had planned to buy 100 buses under the scheme of which 25 are already in service. 32 more are being added today. The rest 43 will be purchased and made operational during the 2015-16 financial year,’ Transport minister Ramesh Majhi said.

Among others, Culture and Tourism minister Ashok Panda, Bhubaneswar MP Prasanna Patsani, Bhubaneswar MLAs Bijay Mohanty and Priyadarshi Mishra were present on the occasion.

The state government has decided to ply these 100 buses in 71 routes in these districts for which it has earmarked Rs 21 crore, sources said.