Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik chaired State cabinet on Saturday, which approved fifteen major proposals pertaining to the departments of Electronic and Information Technology, Skill development and technical education, General Administration and Public Grievance, Home, Housing and urban development, Panchayati Raj and drinking water, Planning and convergence, Revenue and disaster management, Steel and Mines, and, Works.
Briefing media about the decisions, Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra said that the important decisions included establishment of Odisha University of Technology and Research at Bhubaneswar; Improvement of water supply to Joda and Champua in Keonjhar district; Mega pipe water supply project for Bisra, Lathikata, Lahuniapada, and Bonai blocks of Sundargarh district; Mega pipe water supply project for Lepripara, Tangarapali, Sundargarh, Bargaon, Subdega and Balisankara blocks of Sundargarh district, Mega pipe water supply project for all villages of Athgarh and Tigiria blocks of Cuttack district.
Besides, the project for improvement of Duduka-Gopalpur-Toparia road to 2-Lane with paved shoulder in the district of Sundargarh was also approved in the meeting.
The rules regarding Odisha civil services, Heads of departments common cadre, and Jail pharmacist service and Odisha Panchayat Executive Officers’ service were also considered and approved in the meeting.
Further, the Cabinet meeting also waived out the royalty and other statutory payments for supply of Khnodalite blocks under augmentation of basic amenities and development of heritage architecture ( ABHADA) scheme for Puri, said Mr.Mahapatra.
The Cabinet also approved the proposal for amendment of the Odisha Government Land Settlement Act, 1962 (Odisha Act No.33 of 1962).
The Chief Secretary said the inconsistency existed in Odisha Act 1 of 1991 has been removed by the Odisha Government Land Settlement (Amendment) Act, 2009.
After 26.02.2006 (Appointed date), a number of transactions or transfers have taken place in the field and sale deeds have been executed .Unless the appointed date is shifted suitably, these applications cannot be settled.
In order to simplify the process and to help settle the long pending Khasmahal, Nazul, Gramakantha Parambok or Abadi category of lands in favour of the persons under occupation, it is considered expedient to lift the restriction and extent the dateline period for settlement.
By amending the sub-section (4) of section 3 of the OGLS Act the person in occupation of Khasmahal, Nazul, Gramakantha Parambok or Abadi lands either on lease basis or otherwise for a period of three year held by such person immediately prior to the commencement of the proposed legislation shall be settled permanently with heritable and transferable right in such manner and subject to payment of such amount to the Government as prescribed.
Further it is also provided that any person in occupation of such lands as stated above shall apply within a period, as the Government may by notification specify, from time to time for settlement of such land failing which, he shall be summarily evicted in the manner prescribed and such land shall be resumed by the Government.
The Chief Secretary said the Cabinet also approved a proposal for enacting a new law for upgrading CET, Bhubaneswar into a non-affiliating Unitary University in the name and style of Odisha University of Technology and Research at Bhubaneswar.
The Odisha University of Technology and Research Bill, 2021 proposes for upgrading the College of Engineering and Technology (CET), Bhubaneswar into a non-affiliating Unitary University in the name and style of Odisha University of Technology and Research (OUTR), Bhubaneswar.
Mr.Mahapatra said the State Cabinet approved the lowest tender of JMC Projects India Limited, Mumbai amounting to Rs.275.39 crore for execution of the Rural Piped Water Supply Project to provide safe drinking water in Cuttack District out of JJM funding.