In the slum areas, Bill Gates met with members of women's self-help groups (SHGs).
The tech executive checked on the inhabitants of Biju Adarsh Colony in Maa Mangla Basti. His interactions with women's self-help groups (SHGs) members there were reported by PTI.
Slum inhabitants have land rights, tap water, sewage, and power, according to State Development Commissioner Anu Garg. “We showed him that slum dwellers have land rights, tap water, toilets, and power. Garg was pleased with the slum's metamorphosis into a model community, the news agency reported.
The benefactor also questioned slum inhabitants how assistance packages had changed their lifestyles. A slum inhabitant claimed, "He asked about how we were living earlier and our current status."
In the meanwhile, Gates also had a meeting with Naveen Patnaik, the chief minister, later today.
There are a few more events that Gates is expected to attend during his trip. These events include the "Mukta" initiative, which provides localised job possibilities for the urban poor, and the "Mission Shakti" programme.
Additionally, Gates paid a visit to the India Development Centre (IDC) of the IT giant in Hyderabad, where he addressed several of India's most brilliant technical brains. According to Rajiv Kumar, Managing Director of Microsoft IDC and Chief Vice President of Experiences Devices India, Gates expressed his "optimism over the opportunity for an AI-powered India" in his statement.
Since 2017, the Department of Agriculture and Farmer Empowerment of the Odisha government, together with the Fisheries and Animal Resource Department, have been working together with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to foster innovation in data-driven decision-making.
(With inputs from PTI)