Bhubaneswar: The state Cabinet, presided over by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Tuesday approved the new Goods and Service Tax (GST) rate notifications issued by the state.
Elaborating on the state’s adoption of the new GST regime, Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi told reporters the government has approved the Orissa Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 which came into effect in the state July 1, 2017 under which prices of several goods, products and services have been revised.
Padhi said the government is authorised to levy taxes on goods and services not exceeding 20 per cent of all inter-state supplies of goods or services except alcoholic liquor.
Rural roads
The Cabinet, which approved 19 proposals altogether, gave nod for formulation of a policy to maintain rural roads.
The move is aimed at improving quality of roads in rural areas having a length of 2.50lakh kilometres.
However, no special provision has been made for funding the project, said the officials, adding the government in 2017-18 has earmarked Rs 300crore for rural development and maintenance of these roads.
Sops for rice, pulses
The state Cabinet Tuesday decided to exempt rice and pulses mills from availing subsidies under Orissa Food Processing Policy 2016 as well as MSME development policy 2016.
The officials also said there are a good number of rice and pulses mills in the state for which it has been decided to exclude them from being termed enterprises/industries. The list will include rice mills, flour and pulses mills.
PR Engg cadre
The Cabinet also a proposal to form a degree engineering cadre and evolve cadre rules of Orissa Panchayati Raj Engineering Service (methods of recruitment and conditions of service) Rules 2017.
It was decided to appoint 385 posts including assistant executive engineers, deputy executive engineers, executive engineers and superintending engineers (level – II) in the state.
The state Cabinet also approved restructuring of the cadre in agriculture service and decided to appoint chief district agriculture officers in all the districts for growth of agriculture sector in the state.
Officials said the finance department has concurred a proposal of agriculture department to strengthen the cadre of Agriculture and Food Production Services. The present strength of 1,313 posts in the service, however, will remain unchanged.
The assistant agriculture officers will also be redesignated as block agriculture officers.
The services of 742 teachers will be adjusted against the posts upgraded from trained matric/trained intermediate to trained graduate posts in the high schools between 1991-1995.
The Cabinet has approved Framing of Orissa Medical and Health Service rules 2017 and authorized the Orissa Staff Selection Commission to take steps to fill up assistant librarian and other posts in the Law Department.
The Cabinet also gave clearance to a proposal to rename the Orissa State Data Policy 2015 as Orissa Spatial Data Policy as it deals with spatial data.
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