Chief minister Naveen Patnaik addresses blood donors at a state-level workshop of Jibana Bindu in Cuttack on Thursday.

Jibana Bindu programme was launched by the BJD to give fillip to voluntary blood donation. It aimed at meeting blood shortfall during lean days. The programme, which completed one year, has so far been able to generate one lakh units of blood.

Addressing the programme, Naveen set a target to collect 5 lakh units of blood in the next three years.

As against the state's requirement of 4.2 lakh units of blood, around 3.7 lakh units have been collected this year. The major source of blood collection has been voluntary blood donation camps (around 2 lakh units). Blood bank authorities hope there would be no shortfall this year.

"Our government is committed towards development of infrastructure for the preservation and storage of blood and Rs 16 crore will be spent in this regard," Naveen said.

Text by Vikash Sharma

Picture by Badrika Nath Das