Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik launches affordable bus service under LAccMi scheme for tribal dominated Rayagada district

The Chief Minister of Odisha launched an affordable bus service under the LAccMi scheme with a total of 52 buses. These buses will cover tribal regions in the Rayagada district with 300 bus stops and 5 rupees minimum fare.

Naveen Patnaik, Chief Minister of Odisha, has launched an affordable bus service scheme for the Rayagada district to improve connectivity and economy of the rural areas. While launching the scheme through virtual mode, Patnaik said that a total of 52 buses would run in the district connecting all 182 gram panchayats.

Under the Location Accessible Multi-modal Initiative (LAccMi scheme) there will be a total of 300 bus stops in the district. With a fare of Rs 5, a woman can travel from gram panchayat headquarters to block headquarters.

The Chief Minister also said, “This is likely to transform our rural transport system. The buses will now connect from one village to another, improve social bonding and strengthen the rural economy.”

The CM said he came to know about the situation of Rayagada district people from the CMO Grievance meetings. He said he is optimistic that an affordable bus service will bring change in connectivity and the economy of the rural areas where mostly tribal people live.

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Under the ‘Ama Odisha, Nabin Odisha’ (Our Odisha, New Odisha) programme, the state government is investing INR 90 crore in 2600 projects for the Rayagada district, said the CM.

Laxmikanta Behera, Special Secretary, Department of Commerce and Transport of Odisha government said, “Buses will ply even the most interior places like Niyamagiri and Putasing hilly areas where Primary Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) namely Dangaria Kandhas and Lanjia Sauras inhabit. It will boost the trades and commerce specifically of small and medium women vendors & entrepreneurs. With a strong network system, the students will move with ease in commuting from home to school & college and the literacy percentage will ultimately increase. Rayagada has so many scenic tourist places and it will also promote tourism in the region.”

V.K Pandian, Chairman of 5T (transformational Initiative) and Nabin Odisha coordinated the event and said he visited the Rayagada district before the LAccMi scheme as instructed by the CM himself.