Mumbai/Dhenkanal, : Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Smt. Raksha Nikhil Khadse, visited Dhenkanal district in Odisha on January 7, 2025 (Tuesday), as part of the Government of India’s flagship Aspirational District Programme (ADP). With spirit of cooperative-federalism envisaging states as the main drivers, this program focuses on the strength of each district, identifying areas for immediate improvement and measuring progress.

 

MoS Smt. Khadse took review of incremental progress made across 49 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) under five broad socio-economic themes, namely, Health and Nutrition, Education, Agriculture & Water Resources, Financial Inclusion and Skill Development and Infrastructure.

Smt. Khadse made site visits and reviewed the progress of various ongoing projects, including the Digital Reading Room at Sarangadhara High School in Kamakhyanagar, PM JANMAN Housing projects, the status of MGNREGS, sanitation projects under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan, the utilization of the community investment fund, and the coverage under Ayushman Bharat, Smart Classroom, E-Library, Smart Board among others.

The Union Minister appreciated the efforts made in the horticulture sector, especially in mango and mushroom production, as well as exotic fruit cultivation. She further commended the local authorities for ensuring that 98% of schools now have tap water connections. In addition, the micro-irrigation scheme aimed at empowering tribal

and Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PTVG) families was also reviewed. The Minister interacted with district officials and local communities to assess the impact of these initiatives.

Dhenkanal MP Shri Rudra Narayan Pany, Dhenkanal MP and Collector Shri Somesh Upadhyay along with other officials of district administration were also present during the visit.