UPA Cell (Urban Poverty Alleviation Cell) of BMC caters to 1/3rd of the Bhubaneswar population; especially the poor and disadvantaged sections residing in slums. The Govt. sponsored Swarna Jayanti Sahari Rozgar Yojana has come in handy for providing solaces & succour to the urban poor though different anti poverty programmes such as USEP, UWSP, STEP-UP, UWEP & the like.
1280 individual loan applications for providing self employment to the urban poor had been sponsored to different Nationalised Banks. 318 loan applications had been sanctioned. For details see this
Rs. 20, 25,000/- has been released towards subsidy for nineteen women groups for setting up their group ventures as part of women empowerment & livelihood support.For details see this
BMC has assisted 40 nos of women self help groups by providing revolving fund of Rs.2000/- per member subject to a maximum of Rs.25, 000/- per group towards release revolving funds Rs. 9,10,000 /- . For details see this
Up gradation of skills being an important sine qua non for self employment, BMC has provided skill up gradation training to 551 beneficiaries in Govt. run Institutions & Training Institutes identified by Govt.
Creation of durable community assets such as road, drain, Community Centre, Community toilet, water stand post etc through wage employment to the BPL families is the thrust of UWEP. For details see this
BMC believes in the maxim “catch them young”. In the light of this philosophy the Corporators were sensitised about different schemes & their roles and responsibilities therein. To give effect to decentralised planning & people’s participation therein, Neighbourhood Groups (NHG), Neighbourhood Committees (NHC) & Community Development Society (CDS) at the apex are being formed as per the revised SJSRY guidelines.
Besides BMC has also undertaken sensitisation programme for about 5000 women as a part of their empowerment drive.
With the avowed objective of gearing up the community for natural calamites through the 3 Ps - Preparation, Prevention & Panacea; First Aid Training has been provided to about 200 women from different wards.
BMC is the process of setting up a SUVIDHA KENDRA as a one-stop destination for servicing trades & facilitating jobs to the registered skill workers on demand from the clients.
BMC in collaboration with State Employment Mission has provided state of art training in Gardening in the Regional Plant Resource Centre (RPRC). Many of the trainees have not only been employed in the city’s beautification drive but also have taken up kitchen garden/ floral garden in their backyards.
Poor, widows, indigent and HIV positive persons are being provided social assistance by way of Rs.200/- per month through Madhubabu Pension Yojana, Indira Gandhi National Pension Yojana et al.
With a view to providing a single window service for speedy certification of persons with disabilities, Samarthya Sibira were organised at two locations where various services were provided such as travelling concessions in bus / trains; vocational guidance; income certificates; coverage under health insurance scheme (NIRAMAYA).