CM Mohan Charan Majhi plants Ashoka sapling and joins Bhubaneswar camp targeting collection of more than 6,500 units of blood
GTNS , SEPTEMBER 17, 2026 , BHUBANESWAR — A month-long ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’ began in Odisha on Thursday with a major blood donation programme in Bhubaneswar, combining a public-service campaign with a statewide appeal for greater youth participation in community activities.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi inaugurated the campaign by planting an Ashoka sapling at Lok Seva Bhawan before joining a mega blood donation camp at the IDCO Exhibition Ground in Unit-III.
The blood donation programme has set a target of collecting more than 6,500 units of blood in a single day, with large numbers of young volunteers and members of the public participating.
‘BLOOD HAS NO SUBSTITUTE’
Addressing the gathering, Majhi stressed the continuing importance of voluntary blood donation.
He said that despite advances in medical science, blood cannot be manufactured in a factory and voluntary donors remain essential for patients who require transfusions.
Majhi called upon young people to set aside some time from their daily lives for social service and nation-building, describing voluntary service as an important way for the youth to contribute to society.
The Chief Minister also said the state government was committed to reducing the risk of deaths caused by shortages of blood.
₹50.54-CRORE ALLOCATION FOR BLOOD SECURITY
The state government has launched the ‘Atal Raktadan Abhiyan’ with a budgetary allocation of ₹50.54 crore in the 2026-27 financial year, according to the information shared at the programme.
Under the initiative, the government plans to establish blood banks in newer medical colleges while upgrading existing blood-storage and collection facilities.
The objective is to strengthen the state’s blood-storage network and improve the availability of blood for patients across Odisha.
LEADERS HIGHLIGHT SERVICE CAMPAIGN
The programme was also attended by BJP Odisha president and Rajya Sabha MP Manmohan Samal, who spoke about the importance of public service and voluntary blood donation.
Urban Development and Housing Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra described the blood donation programme as an opportunity to promote a culture of service and social responsibility.
According to Mahapatra, the scale of Thursday’s programme could mark an important milestone for blood collection in Odisha.
Rajya Sabha MP Sujit Kumar and Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi were also present.
Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, Ekamra MLA Babu Singh, Khordha MLA Prasanta Kumar Jagdev, Bhatli MLA Irashis Acharya and Mahakalapada MLA Durga Prasanna Nayak attended the event.
Youth leader Abhilash Panda, along with senior party leaders, volunteers and blood donors, participated in the programme.
YOUTH PARTICIPATION AT THE CENTRE
The campaign has placed young volunteers at the centre of its public-service activities.
Majhi urged Odisha’s youth to contribute regularly to social initiatives, including blood donation and other community programmes.
The Chief Minister also connected the campaign with the birthday observances of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who turned 76 on Thursday. Political leaders at the event referred to Modi’s 25 years in public life and described the month-long programme as an effort to promote service-oriented activities.
Several claims regarding India’s development and future targets made during the programme were political statements by the speakers and have been retained as attributed remarks rather than independent assessments.
SERVICE CAMPAIGN TO CONTINUE
The opening blood donation programme is part of a wider month-long campaign intended to involve citizens and volunteers in various social-service activities.
The launch in Bhubaneswar combined three visible elements — tree plantation, voluntary blood donation and an appeal for youth participation — giving the opening day a strong community-service focus.
With the blood collection target exceeding 6,500 units, Thursday’s programme also placed blood availability at the centre of Odisha’s wider public-service agenda.
Global Times News | INDIA ; GTNS