Bhubaneswar: The State Cabinet Saturday approved 16 major proposals, including those of the Energy, Agriculture & Farmers Empowerment, Steel and Mines departments. The meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
Proposals from Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disability, Excise, General Administration& Public Grievance, Panchayati Raj & Drinking Water, and Revenue & Disaster Management were also approved in the meeting.
Minister Women and Child Development and Mission Shakti Tukuni Sahu and Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra briefed Media.
Development Commissioner Pradeep Jena, APC R K Sharma, Secretary Mission Shakti, Sujata R Karthikeyan was present in the Media Briefing.
The major decisions include creation of a new department named Mission Shakti. construction of ten mega rural pipe water supply schemes in Aul, Rajkanika, Chilika, Tangi, Banpur, Khordha, Jatani, Gondia, Bhubana, Golaminda, Jajpur and Binjharpur Blocks.
The constitution of rural pipe water scheme for 26 GPs of Sambalpur district and 2 GPs of Jharsuguda district has also been sanctioned in the cabinet.
Besides, the Cabinet sanctioned the lease of 25 acre land for construction of a satellite center of AIIMS in Remuna Tahasil of Balasore district.
The State cabinet approved a proposal for construction of 2X500 MVA, 400/220/33 KV GIS Substation at Paradeep along with associated line to be implemented over a period of 3 years effective from FY 2020-21.
In order to promote petroleum, chemical and petrochemicals related investments in the State, a Petroleum, Chemical and Petrochemicals Investment Region (PCPIR) is being established at Paradeep.
In order to meet the power demand of PCPIR, the State Transmission Utility (STU) OPTCL has proposed to develop the required power infrastructure at Paradeep.
Accordingly OPTCL has come up with a proposal for construction of 2X500 MVA, 400/220/33 KV GIS Sub-station at Paradeep along with associated lines with a total estimated cost of Rs. 637.45 crore which includes 30% equity support from State Government amounting to Rs. 191.235 crore and the balance to be met by OPTCL through loan from Banks/ FIs amounting to Rs. 446.215 crore.
The project will also cater to the power demand of the upcoming industries in Jagatsinghpur & Kendrapada districts and industries linked to Haridaspur-Paradeep railway line.
The project will also be helpful in strengthening the Transmission Network of the State.
As per the announcement made by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on March 8, 2020, the Cabinet approved creation of a new department namely Department of Mission Shakti.
A new Department will help to go long way in strengthening the SHG initiatives already undertaken by departments and agencies and bringing it all under one platform providing greater focus, synergy and avoiding duplication in activities.
This department will work for SHGs & their federations both Rural and Urban areas.
The State Cabinet approved the lowest tender of L&T, Chennai, India amounting to Rs. 227,91,40,000 for execution of the rural piped water supply project under one package in Kendrapara district. The work is targeted for completion within a period of 24 months.
By execution of these projects, 2,74,836 people of 274 villages of 65 GPs under 04 Blocks of the District will be provided with safe drinking water. On this account, 1,32,890 people of 122 villages under 31 GPs of Aul Block; 1,30,496 people of 145 villages under 29 GPs of Rajkanika Block; 10,266 people of 05 villages under 04 GPs of Pattamundai Block and 1,184 people of 02 villages under 01 GP of Rajnagar Block of the District will be benefited.
The State Government have prioritized on providing safe drinking water to the people living in the rural areas for which, it has been decided by the Government for execution of 2 nos. of Rural Piped Water Supply Projects under one package to provide safe drinking water in Khordha District out of JJM funding.
Now, the State Cabinet have approved the lowest tender of L&T Chennai, India amounting to Rs. 348,10,00,000 for execution of the work within a period of 24 months.
It was also decided to make a provision of corpus fund of Rs. 100 crore, which is now to be shared between OSCMF & OAIC on the ratio of 90:10 instead of the previous sharing pattern of 75:25 respectively in lieu of present fertilizer business sharing of agencies like OSCMF (25.68 %) and OAIC (4.39%) which handle about 30% of the total quantities of fertilizers use in the State.
The Finance Minister in his budget speech had announced for making provision of Corpus Fund with a view to pre-position the fertilizers by the Institutional agencies and supply the same to the farmers in time as per their demand.
The Director of Agriculture & Food Production, Odisha shall be the Nodal Office to monitor the proper utilization of the funds.
The Cabinet approved a proposal to deem 37 existing rehabilitation professionals working in DDRCs to be regular government employees in the newly created cadre.
The Cadre rule for rehabilitation professionals are framed with nomenclature; “Odisha Disability Rehabilitation Service (Method of Recruitment and Condition of Service of the staff in the District Disability Rehabilitation Centres under the control of Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disability Department) Rules, 2021”.
This rule aims to create a cadre of rehabilitation professionals in the District Disability Rehabilitation Centres of the State. The cadre will comprise 64 rehabilitation professionals in 8 DDRCs, situated in Khurdha, Kalahandi, Sambalpur, Kandhamal, Koraput, Mayurbhanj, Ganjam and Nabarangpur.
Considering the interim order passed by the Orissa High Court and to avoid damage to left over stock of Bauxite, the State Cabinet approved the proposal to allow OMC Limited to sell the entire quantity of Bauxite ore meant for sale through national e-auction for the financial year 2020-21 to LTL supplier only at the rate of Rs.1000 per MT with subsequent undertaking to pay the differential rate as stipulated by the High Court vide order dated October 8, 2020.
This shall be done as one time measure limited to the FY 2020-21.
This decision of the Cabinet will prevent loss of revenue to OMC Limited (a Government of Odisha PSU) as unsold Bauxite ore meant for auction would have lost its quality and value because of hygroscopic nature.
Besides, assured supply of Bauxite would also facilitate faster industrial and economic development of the State.
The Cabinet approved the amendment of the Odisha Lokayukta Act, 2014 (Odisha Act, 12 of 2018) which restrict re-appointment and assignment or appointment of the Chairpersons outside the State, after demitting the office.