Bhubaneswar: Odisha urban minister Dr. Krushna Chandra Mohapatra Thursday launched SAHAJOG for more than 15 lakh population in 44 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) of 8 districts in the State.

SAHAJOG-an initiative of the Housing & Urban Development (H&UD) Department aimed at enabling the urban poor to access benefits under various government social sector schemes.

The State-level function where in SAHAYOG was launched was also graced by Ms.Usha Padhee, Principal Secretary, H&UD Department; Secretaries and Nodal Officers from other Departments; and Senior Officials from the H&UD Department.
SAHAJOG is the first-of-its-kind initiative focused on identifying eligible beneficiaries from urban poor communities and linking them to appropriate schemes by creating mass awareness, delivering services at the doorstep, and strengthening implementation mechanisms at the urban local body (ULB) and district levels. In its initial phase, the initiative will focus on a set of priority schemes, including: Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban), Ration Cards under NFSA, Pipe water supply, Ayushman Card, PWD Identity Card, Subhadra Yojana, Labour Card, E-Shram Card Garima Scheme, PM Vishwakarma Yojana, Madhubabu Pension Yojana, Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana, and PM Suraksha Bima Yojana. Housing support under PMAY(U) will serve as the entry point for the saturation of other schemes to a family.
This initiative is based on success of pilot conducted across 6 ULBs, covering 5,000 households, which helped identify key gaps and strategies for effectively reaching the most vulnerable communities. In this phase, the SAHAJOG initiative will be rolled out in 44 ULBs across 8 districts, reaching over 15 lakh people. It will be gradually scaled to all ULBs across the state.
Implementation support will be mobilized from Swachh Karmis, Jalsathis, leaders of Slum Dwellers Associations (SDAs), Self Help Groups (SHGs), NGOs, community volunteers, and ULB frontline workers, who will play a crucial role in spreading awareness and facilitating eligible beneficiaries in submitting applications.
The execution will follow a fast-track, campaign-mode approach for the initial two months. Community volunteers and frontline workers will be incentivized based on milestone achievements. Interdepartmental Committees at State and District Level are formed for smooth coordination and execution of the initiative. The District Level Committee is headed by the District Collector. Senior Officers from other line departments are members in this committee to support the ULB team and monitor the progress regularly. Monthly progress reviews will be held during District