Bhubaneswar: Odisha on Monday launched two ambitious rural transformation initiatives — the Model Village Mission and Mahapurusha Adarsha Grama Yojana (MAGY) — aimed at accelerating infrastructure development and improving quality of life in villages across the state.
The programmes were formally launched through video conferencing by Rural Development, Panchayati Raj & Drinking Water Minister Shri Rabi Narayan Naik, who connected with district administrations and officials across Odisha during the state-level event.
The newly launched Model Village Mission seeks to transform rural areas by ensuring saturation of essential public infrastructure, civic amenities and community facilities in villages. The initiative has been designed as part of the broader “Vikshit Odisha 2036” vision to create self-reliant and economically vibrant villages equipped with urban-standard facilities.
Under the first phase of the mission, all headquarters villages of 6,733 Gram Panchayats are proposed to be covered by 2029. To identify gaps in infrastructure and public services, the government will undertake a comprehensive baseline survey across villages. A detailed survey template prepared in consultation with departments including Health & Family Welfare, School & Mass Education, Women & Child Development, Fisheries & Animal Resources Development and Energy was released during the programme.
Officials said the survey would help assess requirements relating to drinking water, healthcare, education, connectivity, sanitation, digital infrastructure and other essential services to enable targeted development planning at the village level.
The Minister stressed the need for coordinated implementation and directed district administrations to ensure timely execution of the programme. A State-Level Task Force headed by Panchayati Raj & Drinking Water Commissioner-cum-Secretary Shri Girish S.N. has been constituted to monitor implementation, while District-Level Task Forces under respective Collectors will supervise execution on the ground.
Alongside the Model Village Mission, the government also launched the Mahapurusha Adarsha Grama Yojana (MAGY), aimed at holistic development of villages associated with eminent personalities who have contributed significantly to Odisha’s social, literary, cultural and political heritage.
The scheme will be implemented between 2026–27 and 2028–29 and is expected to cover around 100 to 150 Gram Panchayats across the state. In the initial phase, 15 Gram Panchayats linked to 16 distinguished personalities from 12 districts have been selected.
Under MAGY, priority will be given to development works such as roads, piped water supply, healthcare facilities, anganwadi centres, playgrounds, digital infrastructure, solar energy systems, memorial parks and restoration of ancestral houses connected to the personalities.
The programme will also focus on livelihood generation, digital literacy, social security and skill development initiatives in rural areas through convergence of various Central and State Government schemes.
Speaking on the occasion, Naik said the initiatives would not only strengthen rural infrastructure and governance but also preserve Odisha’s rich social and cultural legacy while ensuring inclusive and sustainable rural development across the state.
