Bhubaneswar: The state government has identified 14 potential sites to develop non-major ports.
Commerce and Transport Minister Nrusingha Charan Sahu informed reporters during the last of government’s media blitz being organised to highlight government’s plan for next two years and its achievements in the past three years after the BJD government assumed power.
The last day of the media interaction was jointly addressed by C&T Minister and Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts Minister Snehangini Chhuria at I& PR directorate here.
In his address Sahu said apart from major ports at Paradeep, two non-major ports – Dhamara and Gopalpur – have been operating since 2011 and 2013 respectively. The two ports handled 86.4million tonne of cargo and contributed direct revenue of `168crore to the state, he said.
The estuary at Subarnarekha is being developed with the help of a BOST partner. The government has invited parties to set up a riverine port on Mahanadi mouth mouth, Sahu said. “Our government has urged the Centre to include projects under Sagarmala initiative to ensure that Orissa gets its due share in terms of development work,” he added.
On providing unhindered transport connectivity to all panchayats, the minister said under Biju Gaon Gadi Yojana the state government has provided state carriage connectivity to 700 GPs through 583 private and 95 OSRTC buses.
The government has been committed to providing transport connectivity to 173 GPs within a short span.
The minister said seven districts in the state were not connected by train when the government took over, and now with government efforts Khurda road-Bolangir, Haridaspur-Paradeep, Angul-Sukinda, Jeypore-Malkangiri, Jeypore-Nabarangpur and Talcher-Bimalagarh rail lines have become major projects connecting unconnected districts.
Meanwhile, Handlooms, textiles and handicrafts minister Chhuria said the government has provided life insurance coverage to 49,123 weavers and 45,425 craftsmen. Besides, 46,531 weavers’ family have been included under health insurance scheme.
The Orissa Craft Museum will come up in Bhubaneswar shortly, while the government will inaugurate Raghurajpur Shilpi Gram project at the earliest.
Stating that the government has come up with ‘Orissa Apparel Policy 2016’ and ‘Orissa Handloom Policy 2016’ to promote state’s handloom and textile sector, she said the government has proposed to implement ‘Utkarsh – Orissa Crafts Skills Development and Rural Employment Project’ in the next six years with an investment of `460 crore.
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