Bhubaneswar: In a bid to enhance the delivery of welfare schemes to the urban poor, the Odisha Government launched a new initiative titled ‘Sahajog’ (meaning cooperation). Housing and Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mohapatra announced the rollout of the programme, which will initially be implemented in 44 municipalities across eight districts.

The first phase of ‘Sahajog’ will cover municipalities in the districts of Khordha, Cuttack, Bhadrak, Ganjam, Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Kendujhar, and Mayurbhanj.

The initiative aims to streamline access to 13 welfare schemes from eight departments, bringing them under one umbrella. Key schemes to be integrated include the Prime Minister Awas Yojana, Ayushman Card, differently-abled identity card, Subhadra Yojana, labour card, Madhu Babu Pension Yojana, and Sukanya Yojana.

Minister Mohapatra stated additional schemes will be incorporated into the programme in the near future.

With the help of Tata Foundation Trust, frontline workers will conduct door-to-door surveys in the selected municipal areas to identify eligible beneficiaries and facilitate their access to Government schemes. The ‘Sahajog’ initiative will be conducted over a two-month period starting today.