Odisha’s LAccMI Scheme Gets a Boost with Rs 1,191 Crore Allocation

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government, committed to ensuring accessible and affordable transportation for its citizens, has earmarked a substantial budget of Rs 1,191 Crore for the Location Accessible Multi-Modal Initiative (LAccMI) scheme. This move, presented in the Vote-on-Account for the year 2024-25 by FM BK Arukha, reflects a significant step towards enhancing the state’s transportation infrastructure.

Under the LAccMI scheme, Rs 656 Crore has already been expended, demonstrating the government’s proactive approach to implementing this innovative initiative. The ambitious plan aims to deploy 1,745 buses, including 122 high-end premium buses, catering to diverse destinations, such as panchayats, blocks, district headquarters, and major towns across the state.

The LAccMI scheme, sanctioned in September 2023, focuses on providing affordable bus services, fostering connectivity and accessibility. The comprehensive project, spanning the first three years of bus operations from 2023-24 to 2025-26, is estimated to incur a total cost of approximately Rs 3,178 Crore.

In addition to the LAccMI initiative, the Odisha Government has proposed a robust allocation of Rs 21,004 Crore in the Vote-on-Account 2024-25 for roads, bridges, airports, and railway projects—an increase of 25% from the previous fiscal year. Within this allocation, Rs 8,813 Crore has been dedicated to completing ongoing rural road and bridge projects.

FM BK Arukha highlighted the implementation of key schemes like “Mukhya Mantri Sadak Yojana” (MMSY), “Biju Setu Yojana” (BSY), and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). Under the citizen-friendly “Ama Bus Stand” scheme, 55 bus stands were developed in different locations in 2023-24, with plans to add 132 new stands in 2024-25, backed by an allocation of Rs 210 Crore.

Furthermore, the government aims to allocate Rs 2,998 Crore for the Transport Department under the Odisha Civil Aviation Policy in 2024-25—an impressive 152 percent increase over the provision in the Budget Estimates for 2023-24. This substantial investment aims to enhance air connectivity, unlock the sector’s potential, and create employment opportunities for businesses in the state.