Usha Padhee Reviews Key Developmental Initiatives During Two-Day Visit to Jagatsinghpur

Jagatsinghpur: In a focused push for inclusive and bottom-up development, Usha Padhee, Principal Secretary of Housing & Urban Development and Commerce & Transport Departments, Government of Odisha, concluded a comprehensive two-day visit to Jagatsinghpur district, reviewing flagship schemes and engaging with stakeholders across sectors.

During her visit, Padhee held wide-ranging interactions with local officials, community members, and sectoral departments. Emphasizing strategic convergence and grassroots execution, she called for enhanced synergy between departments to accelerate developmental outcomes and improve service delivery.

One of the central themes of her visit was women-led economic empowerment. Directing the Lead District Manager (LDM) to ensure access to concessional credit for women entrepreneurs — particularly those outside formal Self-Help Group (SHG) networks — she stressed the need to nurture standalone women-led enterprises. She also advised officials from Mission Shakti, the District Planning and Monitoring Unit (DPM), and Livelihood Mission to identify and support women interested in sectors such as dairy, fishery, and homestead farming.

Padhee conducted detailed assessments of major schemes including the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), AMRUT, and drinking water supply initiatives. Her review extended across education, health, agriculture, horticulture, energy, and social welfare sectors, with a special focus on SC/ST development and inclusive growth.

She commended Jagatsinghpur’s progress in education and encouraged continued efforts with a long-term, vision-based approach. Interacting with Executive Officers from Jagatsinghpur and Paradeep municipalities, she urged proactive planning to address urban service gaps and emphasized citizen-centric governance.

Field visits to infrastructure projects, including the Bhutmundai Truck Terminal and the newly developed Jagatsinghpur Bus Stand, allowed Padhee to assess operational readiness, infrastructure quality, and connectivity improvements.

Highlighting the strategic use of government land, she encouraged the district administration to explore opportunities for developing public infrastructure, generating employment, and enhancing revenue.

In a review meeting with senior officials, District Collector J. Sonal presented an overview of progress and challenges in the district. Padhee reiterated the importance of participatory governance and departmental coordination to ensure effective last-mile delivery.