Post News Network
Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Friday directed the officials to provide electricity to all the uncovered villages and habitats in the state by 2019.
Reviewing the achievements of the energy, electronics and IT departments on the completion of the two years of his fourth term, Patnaik directed to replace 15,000 defunct transformers with new one in next four years and supply electricity to all left out BPL families.
The meeting was told that a decision was taken to improve the transmission and distribution of power by strengthening the infrastructure and to set up two more hydro power projects in the state.
Official sources said more than 7,000 villages and habitations were electrified last year. Similarly, more than 11.5 lakh families including three lakh BPL families were given power supply in 2015.
Reviewing the electronic and IT department performance, the Chief Minister directed the officials to act on the suggestion given by the technology mission chairman Sam Pitroda.
The meeting decided to enact a new telecom policy by the end of the current month. Sources said during 2015-16, the export of the state in the IT sector has reached `3,000 crore which is 18 per cent more than the previous year. While in the all India level, the export has increased by 11 per cent, in Orissa it was 18 per cent. The state figured at the eighth position in the country in the IT export sector, sources said.
The government has also decided to set up four more STPIs in the state in addition to the existing four and formulate a business process outsourcing policy during the current year. It also targeted to set up 10,000 BPOs in rural areas.