Jajpur,14/11(PPT): Odisha has received an additional one lakh houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G), taking the total number of houses sanctioned to the State to five lakh. The distribution of houses under the scheme was formally launched at a State-level programme in Balangir on Friday in the presence of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Union Minister for Rural Development and Agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan. A live telecast of the programme was organised at the Jajpur Zilla Parishad conference hall, attended by Cooperation, Handlooms and Textiles Minister Pradeep Bal Samanta as the chief guest and Jajpur MP Dr Rabindra Narayan Behera as the guest of honour. According to officials, a total of 1,20,777 beneficiaries have been found eligible in Jajpur district under the Awaas Plus 2024 survey, which covered 1,75,203 households. Under PMAY-G, each eligible beneficiary will receive financial assistance of ₹1.20 lakh in three instalments for the construction of a pucca house. Addressing the gathering, Mr. Samanta said the government was committed to resolving housing-related problems along with pension-related issues. “With pension-related problems being addressed, the housing problem will also be resolved,” he said. He emphasised that public welfare should remain the priority irrespective of changes in political parties and governments. The government would also make efforts to ensure access to essential facilities such as education, electricity, drinking water, food and healthcare, he added. Jajpur Collector Ambar Kumar Kar, Chief Development Officer-cum-Executive Officer of the Zilla Parishad Debi Prasad Mohanty, senior district officials and beneficiaries from different blocks attended the programme and watched the live telecast of the State-level launch.