• Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced that the Odisha government aims to make Odisha slum-free by the end of 2023. The CM of Odisha has launched a survey using drones to facilitate a process to provide land deeds to slum-dwellers in five municipal areas across Odisha.
• The land survey was taken in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur, Rourkela, and Sambalpur civic body areas under the state government’s ‘Jaga Mission program.

Odisha to be made slum-free by 2023 end- Key Points

• Naveen Patnaik has declared Hinjili and Digapahandi towns in the Gajman district as ‘Slum Free’ and dedicated 707 ‘Biju Adarsh Colonies’ in 33 urban areas.
• All the slums in Odisha will be converted into model colonies and Odisha will be made slum-free by December 2023.
• Naveen Patnaik also stated that land rights will be given to 2.5 lakh slum families in the state by the next year.
• The authorities of ‘Jaga Mission’ signed an MoU with Tata Steel Foundation to identify slum dwellers and areas under the jurisdiction of the five municipal corporations for the land survey of Odisha.
• Tata Steel Foundation will provide technical support for the purpose.
• Over 1.70 lakh families of slum areas in 105 cities and towns have so far been given land rights under the program.

About Jaga Mission

• The state government of Odisha launched the Jaga Mission in 2017 and the slum development associations have been assigned to manage the ‘Biju Adarsh Colonies’ a provision has been made to allocate 25 percent of the municipal budget to these bodies for the development of infrastructure.
• Jaga Mission in Odisha will also provide social and economic justice to the poor as they have an equal right to the benefits of development and growth.