Bhubaneswar: In view of increasing workload in revenue administration specifically in districts and sub-divisions, the State Cabinet on Friday decided to create additional 125 posts in OAS Gr.A(JB) level.
With the creation of additional 125 posts, the total OAS cadre strength was enhanced to 1313 in the state, said Chief Secretary S.C. Mahapatra.
While two posts of Deputy Collector in each district (total 60 posts) have been created four Under Secretary, Board of Revenue, Odisha, Cuttack has also been created.
Similarly, the Cabinet has decided to create one post of Deputy Collector in each Sub-Collector’s Office (total 58 posts), three Deputy Collector posts at the office of ADM, Bhubaneswar, Paradeep and Rourkela.
The State Cabinet has also decided to return 206.685 acres of land in Kalipalli village of Ganjam district to the original land owners or to the legal heirs as per the provision of Rule 20 of Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Compensation, Rehabilitation and Resettlement and Development Plan) Rules, 2015.
The land was acquired two decades ago for Tata Steel. However, the land remained unutilised and farmers are now cultivating in the land, Mr,Mahapatra said.
So, for a larger public interest, the Cabinet has decided to return it to the original land owners. The compensation amount paid to the land owners has been waived, he said.
The Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik led panel also decided to pay the due to L&T for the work strengthening & widening of Sambalpur-Rourkela road out of ADB assistance.
After exhausting all the legal remedies, it was decided for payment of decretal dues amounting to Rs.100.06 crore to Larsen & Toubro Ltd. for compliance of the arbitral award of Arbitration Tribunal, the Chief Secretary said.
Similarly, the Cabinet has decided to amend the Odisha Pani Panchayat Act, 2002.
Now, mega lift irrigation projects have been included under the Act. Spouses of the water users, who are land holders in the area of a Pani Panchayat, can become members of the Panchayat.
The tenure of Chak Committee and Executive Committee of the Pani Panchayats has been increased to five years.
These amendments will ensure formation of Pani Panchayats and higher farmers’ bodies in mega lift irrigation projects, covering a commanded area of 500 to 2000 hectares and greater representation of women in various bodies/ committees and hence greater say in water governance besides other aspects.
Moreover, the government has decided to revise the scale of pay of judicial officers of the state with effect from January 2016. The state government will bear additional Rs 93 crore for this purpose, said the Chief Secretary.
