Bhubaneswar: Odisha Cabinet on Monday decided to implement a new scheme ‘Ama Odisha Nabin Odisha’ with effect from the current financial year 2023-24.
Energy Minister Pratap Keshari Deb and Chief Secretary Pradeep Jena briefed Media after the Cabinet Meet and said that the State Cabinet has decided to modify the existing ‘Ama Gaon Ama Bikash’ programme by giving it a new dimension in the form of ‘Ama Odisha Nabin Odisha’ under the State Plan for taking up measures to augment rural infrastructure leading to accelerated growth as well as to promote, preserve and protect Shree Jagannath culture and tradition of the State.
The vision of the intervention is to transform Odisha to modern and aspirational Odisha retaining the essence, soul and spirit of Shree Jagannath culture and spreading it to the world, they said.
The main objective of the scheme is to provide missing links to the existing small and essential projects and development of infrastructure. Also achieving empowerment of women, youth, bridging critical gaps in education, digital and sports facilities, Shri Deb said.
The scheme will help in the improvement of infrastructure for primary education and also provide missing links to the existing development infrastructure, construction, modernization and expansion works.
Through this scheme, the government is also eying to create additional facilities for Mission Shakti Groups at panchayat level, providing banking facilities and improvement of digital access in terms of mobile connectivity, optical fibre connectivity, WiFi and internet connectivity in the rural areas.
There is budget provision of Rs. 4000 crore under the scheme from the State Budget. The scheme will cover all Gram Panchayats in each block of the state with entitlement of Rs. 50 lakh, he said.
The Minister informed that projects, whose cost is between Rs. 2.50 lakh to Rs.10.00 lakh would be undertaken under the new scheme.
The projects under the scheme will be suggested/ recommended by local people/community organizations/public representatives and other stakeholders, he said.
The consolidated GP wise project list of the Block will be submitted to Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department with signatures of Collector and President, Zilla Parishad of the district for due examination and approval of Government.
The Panchayat Samiti would execute the work departmentally following due procedure. The Collector shall be authorized to select any other agency/agencies for execution of work.
Transparency measures such as a web-based MIS for monitoring of the scheme and a dedicated app for sharing of photographs before, during and after for each project with GIS tagging will be developed under the scheme, he added.