Naveen Patnaik launches a housing scheme for slum dwellers in Bhubaneswar on Saturday. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Oct. 5: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik today launched a housing scheme for slum dwellers in the city, ahead of the civic polls here in December.

The project will be developed under the Centre’s Rajiv Awas Yojana scheme and predictably, the BJD leaders present at the event chose to remain silent on this.

One housing project was launched at Mahishakhala behind BJB College at a cost of Rs 46.93 crore, while another was taken up for the slum dwellers of Patharbandha near Vani Vihar.

The Mahishakhala slum cluster development project will come up on 5.22 acres and some 760 dwelling units will be built in five blocks.

The Patharbandha project will have 1,480 dwelling units and will be built at a cost of Rs 85.81 crore.

“The government is committed to the overall development of the state,” said Naveen, who left no stone unturned to woo the slum dwellers.

After laying the foundation stone at Mahishakhala, he entered the slums and greeted everyone with a smile. He walked for nearly half-a-kilometre, meeting people before heading to the dais to deliver his speech.

“I am delighted to see the chief minister in my home. I find no words to express my gratitude to him for taking steps to provide me a pucca house,” said D. Subhadra, 65.

Hema Barik, 68, said: “It was Biju babu who had dreamt of rehabilitating us. Now, his son has come to fulfil his father’s wishes.”