Bhubaneswar: The high-level 3rd Task Force Committee, chaired by Chief Secretary Shri Manoj Ahuja, conducted a comprehensive review of the implementation and progress of major infrastructure and industrial projects across Odisha.
The meeting was attended by State Development Commissioner Smt. Anu Garg, Additional Chief Secretary of Industries Shri Hemant Sharma, along with Secretaries from key departments including Finance, Power, Construction, and Revenue, among others. District Collectors participated virtually in the review.
The committee focused on accelerating industrial projects and ensuring the provision of special incentive packages as per existing agreements. The Chief Secretary issued a strong directive to district administrations to take immediate steps to resolve land acquisition issues after holding discussions with the Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO). Discussions were also held regarding the provision of compassionate assistance to remaining land-oustees from various projects.
To support industrial growth, the committee mandated the expediting of power substation installations by OPTCL as per the requirements of industrial companies.
Specific instructions were issued to the Handlooms and Textiles Department and the concerned district administrations to resolve all hurdles related to land acquisition, water, and power supply for textile projects in Keonjhar, Balangir, Jagatsinghpur, Khurda, and other districts. Directions were also given to allocate land for approved industrial parks and to expedite the implementation of large-scale drinking water projects.
The meeting was deemed significant in the context of the Prime Minister’s emphasis on September 24, 2025, during the 49th ‘Pragati’ meeting, regarding the severe cost and service denial implications of project delays.
The state government has taken special measures to strengthen project monitoring. All concerned departments and District Collectors have been directed to regularly upload data on the Project Monitoring Group (PMG) portal, detailing existing problems, resolution steps, and the latest status. The Chief Secretary reviewed the portal’s current status and provided instructions to expedite delayed works.
To ensure accountability and timely progress, a new institutional review schedule has been mandated: district-level reviews of “PMG” and “Pragati” projects by the 7th of every month, departmental reviews by the 12th, and a final review meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary on the 3rd Saturday of the month. The Chief Secretary stressed the importance of implementing this system to strengthen the state-level institutional framework for project management.