Odisha Cabinet Approves Scheme On Transport Facilities In Rural Areas; Know Other Decisions

Bhubaneswar: In order to ensure sustainable, affordable and safe transportation of passengers and commodities across the state, Odisha Cabinet on Friday approved Location Accessible Multi-modal Initiative (LAccMI) scheme.

Speaking at a presser in Bhubaneswar on the scheme approved in the 64th Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak said though road infrastructure has been enhanced, corresponding public transportation is yet to take off in the state. Considering this, the government has proposed to provide reliable and affordable public transport focusing on the rural areas.

Under the LAccMl Scheme, the bus network planning has been undertaken in a hierarchical manner. While ‘Block Connectivity’ will facilitate connectivity between panchayats and their respective block headquarters (HQs), ‘District Connectivity’ will link block HQs with district HQs and ‘Jagannath Express’ will connect district HQs with Bhubaneswar or Puri and ‘LAccMl Express’ will facilitate connectivity between district HQs and major cities.

The project cost is estimated to be approximately Rs 3,178 crore in the first three years of the bus operation from 2023-24 to 2025-26. The scheme would be implemented in a phased manner. About 1000 buses would be deployed under the scheme for 10 years.

The Cabinet approved total 19 proposals of 10 departments. Chief Secy Sri Pradeep Jena and Development Commissioner Anu Garg detailed on other proposals.

Following are other major decisions taken at the Cabinet meeting:

• Proposal for enacting a new law for upgrading Silicon Institute of Technology (SIT), Bhubaneswar into a non-affiliating Unitary University in the name of Silicon University, Bhubaneswar. After upgradation, the university will provide academic and research facilities in Engineering, Technology and Management.
• The NIST University, Odisha Bill, 2023 for upgrading National Institute of Science and Technology, Berhampur into a self-financed, private, non-affiliating Unitary University in the name and style of NIST University, Berhampur.
• The Odisha Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2023 for simplifying the provisions and providing certain facilities to the tax payers and tax authorities. Registration of the person for supplying online money gaming, from a place outside India to a person in India made mandatory.
• The conversion fees fixed at the rate of 1% of the market value which will be payable per acre of agriculture land situated in different places of the state, for conversion of its use to any purpose other than agriculture on and after the commencement of the Odisha Land Reforms (Amendment) Act, 2023.
• Tender for construction of left link channel and left distribution system to provide irrigation to 760 hectare from Ghodahada reservoir of Chheligada Irrigation Project in Ganjam district on EPC mode with a budget of Rs 160.77 crore
• Barrage across river Budhabalanga at Darkuli in Balasore district with an expenditure of Rs 126.96 crore. The barrage will provide irrigation to 7,300 HA in 107 villages of Balasore district and 13 villages of Mayurbhanj district
• Barrages across Turi and Guntat rivers in Nabarangpur district with a budget of Rs 106 crore. It will provide irrigation facilities to 9,135 HA in Nabarangpur and ensure drinking water for around 10,000 people.