Sambalpur: Padma Shri awardee and Sambalpuri folk singer Jitendra Haripal of ‘Rangabati re Rangabati’ fame has been sanctioned a house under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) 2.0 by Odisha government.
The assistance was sanctioned following Haripal’s appeal to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi last year, seeking support to rebuild his crumbling ancestral house.
The singer was provided the work order by Sambalpur District Collector Siddheshwar Baliram Bondar Friday.
Haripal has been sanctioned financial assistance of Rs 2.5 lakh for house construction, and the approval has been issued for the 2026-27 financial year under the jurisdiction of the Sambalpur Municipal Corporation, officials said.
The district administration said it would extend all necessary assistance to Haripal for completion of his house within the stipulated timeframe.
Also Read : Heavy rain disrupts normal life across Odisha; motorcyclist swept away by floodwaters in Sambalpur
“Sanction has been given for one decimal of land which has now been transferred to the Padma Shri awardee’s name following his wife’s death earlier this year. The land is located near his old house,” said Sambalpur Collector Siddheswar Baliram Bondar.
Haripal’s old house at Stationpada had partially collapsed during the Covid period, when temporary repairs were carried out. Nearly a year ago, his ancestral house again came under the spotlight following structural damage due to heavy rains.
Since the ancestral house stands on government land, Haripal had been ineligible for housing benefits under government schemes for years.
However, Haripal and his family have been living in a rented house at Jagannath Colony for the past few years.
