15 New Projects Approved For OMBADC Areas In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: As many as 15 new projects worth around Rs 3210 crore were sanctioned from Odisha Mineral Bearing Areas Development Corporation (OMBADC) funds at a high-level meeting here on Thursday.

Reviewing the progress of ongoing projects at the meeting held on digital mode, Oversight Authority of OMBADC Justice AK Patnaik expressed his satisfaction and said the projects proposed by different departments are “well planned with appropriate objectives”.

Stating that the feedback about the quality of the projects received from different quarters was “quite good”,  Justice Patnaik appreciated the efforts of the state team in encountering the COVID-19 pandemic and restarting the economic activities at a fast rate.

Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy directed the collectors to expedite ground level implementation of the projects by maximum utilisation of the technical and engineering capacity already created at district level through OMBADC.

Collectors of Sundargarh, Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar district appraised that the district OMBADC cells had started functioning in their districts.

Following projects were approved at the meeting:

• Mega pipe water supply scheme to Lephripada, Tangrapalli, Sundargarh, Bargaon, Subdega and Balisankara block of Sundargarh district at estimated cost of Rs 585.16 crore
• Mega pipe water supply to 1053 villages of 13 blocks  in Myurbhanj district with Rs 1531.39 crore
• Sustainable livelihood programme for sericulture  farmers in Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Sundaragarh, Jajpur and Dhenkanal district with Rs 82.29 crore
• Livelihood generation programmes through handicraft in  Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Sundaragarh, Jajpur and Dhenkanal district with Rs 35.14 crore
• Strengthening the health services at sub-divisional hospitals, community health centers, primary health centers and health sub-centers of Mayurbhanj district with Rs 47.25 crore
• Strengthening infrastructural facilities, library, research center in the Govt engineering college of Keonhjar district with Rs 33.39 crore
• Opening of centers of excellence in Govt ITI and Polytechnics in OMBADC area with Rs 123.45 crore
• Skill development of tribal youth with Rs 0.16 crore
• Optic fiber connectivity to 1713 schools and health institutions with Rs 3 crore
• Skill and entrepreneurship development among farmers and youths in agriculture & allied sectors at Rs 146.92 crore
• Self-employment of women headed poor families in agriculture and allied sectors with Rs 35.24 crore
• Development of mega nursery in Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Mayurbhanj and Jajpur districts with Rs 11.71 crore
• Enhancement of milk procurement from Jajpur district with Rs.20.48 crore
• Livelihood promotion activities through processing and marketing of non-timber forest products in Keonjhar, Sundargarh and Deogarh with Rs 43.43 crore

Chief Executive Officer Uma Nadnduri presented the updates about the projects. Development Commissioner Suresh Chandra Mohapatra, Additional Chief Secretary Forest & Environment Dr Mona Sharma, Additional Chief Secretary Health and Family Welfare Pradeepta Kumar Mohapatra, Additional Chief Secretary and Agriculture Production Commissioner Raj Kumar Sharma, CEO OMBADC Uma Nanduri, OSD to Oversight Authority SK Naimuddin, Advocate General Odisha and members of the Board of Directors participated in the deliberations.