Odisha CM Launches ₹75.60 Crore Rehabilitation Package for 1,371 Families

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Odisha rehabilitation package 2026 worth ₹75.60 crore has been launched for 1,371 Nolia families.
Each eligible family will receive ₹5 lakh as one-time assistance through DBT.
Land and house pattas were also distributed to families displaced by the Cheligada irrigation project.

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday launched a special rehabilitation and resettlement package worth ₹75.60 crore for 1,371 Nolia families displaced from Golabandha in Ganjam district.

The initiative seeks to resolve a rehabilitation issue that has remained pending for more than four decades.

At a special programme in Golabandha, the Chief Minister distributed land and house pattas to 96 of the 112 families displaced by the Cheligada Medium Irrigation Project.

Odisha Rehabilitation Package: ₹5 Lakh Assistance for Each Family

Under the special package, each of the 1,371 eligible families will receive a one-time assistance of ₹5 lakh through direct benefit transfer.

The government has allocated ₹68.55 crore for this component.

The financial support is intended to help displaced families strengthen their livelihoods and move towards greater economic self-reliance.

Housing Assistance for Displaced Families

The government has earmarked another ₹4.25 crore for housing-related assistance.

The allocation will support the completion of 998 incomplete houses and construction of 10 new houses.

This is expected to address some of the immediate housing requirements of families resettled in the new colony.

Infrastructure Development at Kirtipur Colony

More than ₹2.80 crore has also been sanctioned for infrastructure development at Kirtipur Colony.

The proposed facilities include:

Roads
Street lighting
Anganwadi centre
Market complex
Public toilets
Cyclone shelters
Beach levelling facilities for fishing boats

These facilities are aimed at improving basic amenities and supporting the livelihood needs of the displaced fishing community.

Why the Golabandha Rehabilitation Matters

According to the Chief Minister, the displacement issue dates back to 1984, when land was transferred for the Army Air Defence College.

The affected residents have reportedly waited for more than 40 years for a permanent rehabilitation solution.

Majhi said his government had prioritised the issue and was working to provide displaced families with secure land rights and sustainable rehabilitation.

Women from Golabandha also welcomed the Chief Minister by tying rakhis before he distributed pattas to beneficiaries.

Cheligada Project: 112 Families to Receive Land

The Chief Minister also highlighted the rehabilitation of 112 families displaced by the Cheligada Medium Irrigation Project.

These families are being resettled at Santrapur in Digapahandi.

Each family is entitled to:

10 decimals of homestead land
2 acres of agricultural land

Pattas for 96 families were distributed during Thursday’s programme, while the remaining beneficiaries are expected to receive them shortly.

The Cheligada project is scheduled for completion by the end of next year and is expected to provide irrigation benefits to more than 6,000 hectares across Ganjam and Gajapati districts.

Ganjam Development Push: Ports, Fisheries and Industry

The Chief Minister also outlined several development initiatives planned for Ganjam.

These include renovation of the Arjipalli Fishing Harbour and development of 28 fish landing centres as part of efforts to strengthen the state’s blue economy.

He also referred to the expansion of Gopalpur Port and the proposed ₹21,500-crore Bahuda mega port.

According to Majhi, 14 projects involving investments of more than ₹40,000 crore are expected at Gopalpur Industrial Park, with the potential to create employment for over 18,000 young people.

The government is also targeting the creation of more than five lakh jobs in Odisha over the next two years.

Government Promises Faster Rehabilitation

Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said the government was taking steps to accelerate long-pending rehabilitation processes.

He assured displaced families that necessary facilities and opportunities would be provided and that there would be no unnecessary delay in distributing land pattas.

Steel and Mines Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena said proposed investments in Gopalpur Industrial Park and the Bahuda mega port could significantly increase employment and transform Ganjam’s commercial landscape.