Odisha: UD Minister inaugurates SUDA web portal

BHUBANESWAR: Usha Devi, Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Government of Odisha, inaugurated web portal of the State Urban Development Agency (SUDA) during her visit on August 24. She interacted with the officials and group of professionals to get an idea of the works in progress under various initiatives being implemented across 115 urban local bodies to improve the livelihood of the urban poor in the state.

Sarada Prasad Panda, Project Director, SUDA exhibited a presentation on the activities that have been undertaken by the Agency. He mentioned the organisation of community institutions for poor and vulnerable people living in urban spaces, and how it has been providing financial support to help them sustain their livelihoods. He also mentioned the allocation of Rs 3000 to the street vendors thrice in the time of the lockdown periods of the COVID-19 pandemic. Panda noted that under the state’s flagship Aahar Programme, 157 Mission Shakti Groups are engaged across 167 centres in the state wherein they serve one lakh meals daily to poor and needy. He highlighted this as an example of urban transformation through community engagement.

The online portal of the SUDA aims to provide people access to information on various urban focused initiatives and their progresses in the state, meanwhile also acting as a point of reference for administration of other states for planning similar initiatives.