Puri: The district administration will provide free accommodation to 5,000 Habisialis (devout elderly women) during the Kartika Brata between October 6 and November 4.
Sources said the administration is planning to accommodate the devout women in a few lodging houses, including Bagala Dharmashala, Dudwala Dharmashala, Bagadia Dharmashala and Goenka Dharmashala in the city. Besides, the administration may utilise a railway guest house, an interpretation centre at Jagannath Ballav Mutt, a kalyana mandap of city municipality and a local club house for the purpose.
“Last year, the administration had constructed temporary sheds to accommodate Habisialis. The devout women were shifted to some buildings after a fire mishap in a makeshift shed. This year, we will arrange adequate buildings to provide free accommodations to Habisialis,” said an official of the district administration.
According to sources, collector Aravind Agarwal has constituted a committee to visit a few selective shelter houses and examine their suitability for the Habisiali scheme. “Habisialis from across the state can apply for the free accommodation scheme between September 1 and 25. They can collect a special form for the purpose from their district collectors’ offices,” said the official.
The administration will provide safe drinking water and basic health facilities to the devout women. “All the shelter houses selected for the scheme would be kept under round-the-clock CCTV surveillance. The administration will soon prepare an estimate for the project and send it for state government’s approval. The Public Works and Tourism departments have been assigned to choose a private agency for implementation of the scheme,” said a source in the district administration.
Sources said the administration may opt for lottery method if the number of applicants for the scheme crosses 5,000.
Post News Network
