Bhubaneswar: Odisha government Tuesday approved free textbooks for around 28.7 lakh students of state-run schools, along with a Rs 500-crore programme to improve urban drainage and tackle flooding.
The decisions were among 16 proposals approved at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi in Bhubaneswar.
The proposals, relating to 11 departments, will be implemented soon, Chief Secretary Anu Garg told reporters after the meeting.
The decision to provide free textbooks to more students comes amid a controversy over the supply of textbooks containing errors, with opposition parties demanding the resignation of School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond.
Garg said students of classes 9 and 10 in government and government-aided secondary schools, other than those covered under the existing SC and ST provisions, would now receive free textbooks.
The scheme aims to ensure equitable access to quality education, reduce the financial burden on economically weaker families, improve enrolment in government schools, lower dropout rates and increase the transition from elementary to secondary education.
Students belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes were already receiving free textbooks, she said.
“The scheme will remain in force for five years, from 2025-26 to 2029-30, with a total estimated outlay of Rs 284.07 crore, covering a tentative 28.7 lakh beneficiaries,” Garg said.
The procurement of paper, printing, transportation and distribution of textbooks will be undertaken through a transparent and competitive process in accordance with the Odisha General Financial Rules and applicable procurement guidelines, she said.
The School and Mass Education Department will put in place a mechanism to collect, verify and validate beneficiary data through field-level verification.
It will also ensure that textbooks are printed and supplied to schools well before the commencement of each academic session, Garg said.
Over 1,600 mistakes, including spelling errors and incorrect names of eminent personalities, were found in 55 textbooks supplied by the department.
In another major decision, the Cabinet approved the Urban Storm Water Drainage Management and Improvement Programme (USWDMIP), with an outlay of Rs 500 crore from the state’s own resources over a period of five years, from 2026-27 to 2030-31.
The scheme will cover urban local bodies and selected block headquarters.
The proposed interventions include desilting, construction of reinforced cement concrete stormwater drains, covering of drains, restoration of natural drainage channels and their linkage with suitable water bodies.
The measures are aimed at improving the capacity and efficiency of urban drainage systems and reducing waterlogging and localised flooding, Garg said.
The programme is also expected to promote groundwater recharge, improve public safety and environmental quality, and support climate-resilient urban development.
The Cabinet also approved the establishment of a Disaster Recovery-cum-Data Centre at Kendujhar to ensure the uninterrupted functioning of critical government digital services during major disruptions, including earthquakes and cyclones.
The Odisha State Data Centre in Bhubaneswar hosts critical government applications, databases and platforms supporting government-to-government, government-to-business and government-to-citizen services.
The proposed facility at Kendujhar will serve as a disaster recovery centre, enabling the state to protect its data and maintain essential services in the event of a major disruption at the Bhubaneswar facility.
“Both Kendujhar and Bhubaneswar are located in different seismic zones. If there is any damage in Bhubaneswar, data could remain safe at the Kendujhar centre,” Garg said.
The project will cost over Rs 176 crore, including capital expenditure of Rs 154 crore and operational expenditure of Rs 22.83 crore for five years.
An amount of Rs 162.83 crore has been provided from the Fifth State Finance Commission grant-in-aid, she said.
The state Cabinet also approved a tender worth Rs 105 crore for the construction of an in-stream water storage project on the Tel river at Tustapali village in Balangir district.
The project is expected to strengthen water security and help mitigate chronic water scarcity in the drought-prone district.
Apart from these proposals, the Cabinet approved measures relating to the Fisheries and Animal Resources Development; Industries, Skill Development and Technical Education; Finance; Electronics and Information Technology; Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment; Housing and Urban Development; Revenue and Disaster Management; Water Resources; and School and Mass Education departments.
PTI
