Bhubaneswar: Chief Secretary and Chairman Odisha Mineral Bearing Areas Development Corporation (OMBADC), Pradeep Kumar Jena has appreciated the efforts of the Institution, which was set up for undertaking tribal welfare and area development works in the mineral bearing areas of the State.
Over the last 5 years of project initiation by OMBADC, a record amount of Rs. 3004.26 Crore was released by OMBADC to the Line departments in the FY 2022-23 and an amount of Rs. 2667.11 Crore was cumulatively utilized by the line departments.
Chairing the 26th Board of Directors Meeting of OMBADC, Chairman Shri Jena appreciated the streamlining of the fund release process of OMBADC in the FY 2022-23.The proposed budget for the current FY i.e. 2023-24 is Rs. 4534.44 Crore was also approved in the meeting.
Development Commissioner, Anu Garg, Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue & Disaster Management, Forest, Environment and Climate Change, Satyabrata Sahu, PCCF & HOFF Odisha, Debidutta Biswal, Chief Executive Officer, OMBADC G Rajesh and all Independent Directors attended the Meeting.
Senior Mandarin, G Rajesh, CEO OMBADC presented the updated financial status and physical progress achieved by the Company.
The CEO informed that under the Compensation money funds, the Board has approved 54 projects amounting to Rs. 17916.16 Crore under different Board meetings since the 14th BOD meeting held in the month of April 2019.
The projects have been proposed by 18 Line departments and most of the approved projects are under implementation. The Line departments have successfully utilized an amount of Rs. 7223.01 Crore till date out of the total released fund of Rs. 9737.58 Crore.
The projects pertain to sectors like Drinking Water, Education, Health, Livelihood, Environment Protection, Rural Connectivity and Water Conservation.
CEO OMBADC, Shri Rajesh also presented five new proposals related to areas like High School Transformation for 250 secondary schools under the 5T initiative amounting to Rs. 150.00 Crore, two projects from SD&TE Department related to infrastructure development of ITIs and Polytechnics into CoEs and introduction of AR/VR simulation machines amounting to Rs. 104.80 Crore and Rs. 12.20 Crore respectively.
And two projects related to road and bridge construction in Pallahara block of Angul district amounting to approximately Rs. 64 Crore and Rs. 12.50 Crore respectively.
The total value of the approved projects is approximately Rs. 345 Crore.All the projects have been approved by the Board of Directors for implementation by concerned line departments and their PIAs.
Regarding pending UCs related to OMBADC projects, it has been decided by the Development Commissioner-cum-ACS and Chairman of the OMBADC Sub Committee that the issue will be discussed in the All Secretaries meeting to be held shortly.
Development Commissioner Shrimati Garg is taking lot of interest in clearing the projects, which has accelerated the progress of the development projects taken up by OMBADC.
It has also been decided by the Board that more of Livelihood and Skill development projects related to tribal youth will be taken up out of the balance funds available with OMBADC.
The meeting concluded with the release of Impact Assessment Report of the OMBADC funded PuccaGharYojana (Mining) scheme and Brochures for the months of March and April 2023.
The effort of OMBADC related to project evaluation was appreciated by the Board and the Chairman, OMBADC has instructed to go for similar evaluation exercises for all completed projects.
The details of visit of Oversight Authority for OMBADC, Justice A.K. Patnaik, Former Judge, Supreme Court of India to Mayurbhanj district was also projected for information of the Board.
Several drinking water projects, Health projects, projects of SD & TE dept and Horticulture projects were provided extension of time by the Board of Directors as some components were still under progress.
