Bhubaneswar: The state Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi Monday approved 13 proposals from 10 departments, including removal of restrictions on the number of attempts in the Odisha Civil Services (OCS) examination, free Wi-Fi facilities at 601 government and aided colleges, and a major expansion of promotional opportunities for panchayat executive officers (PEOs).
In a major relief to civil services aspirants, the Cabinet approved an amendment to the Odisha Civil Services (Combined Competitive Recruitment Examination) Rules, 1991, removing the cap on the number of attempts. Candidates fulfilling the prescribed age and other eligibility criteria will now be able to appear in the OCS examination without any restriction on the number of attempts.
The Cabinet also approved ‘Odisha Shikshanet: Empowering Students through a Free WiFi Internet Facility to all Colleges and Universities’, with an outlay of Rs 393.62 crore over three years from 2026-27 to 2028-29. The scheme will provide free, secure and high-speed Wi-Fi connectivity in 601 government and aided colleges across the state, with the first phase covering 130 colleges. Every authenticated student will be entitled to up to 1 GB of free internet data per day.
The initiative is expected to benefit more than 6 lakh students and faculty members. The facility will enable students to access e-books, digital libraries, virtual classrooms, SWAYAM and other massive open online courses (MOOCs), research databases, competitive examination resources and digital skill development platforms. It will also facilitate access to e-governance services, including SAMS, HIMS and scholarship portals. Another major decision was the approval of the project cost, EPC contractor and financial framework for the 600 MW Upper Indravati Pumped Storage Project at Ranibahal in Kalahandi district.
Odisha Hydro Power Corporation will execute the project through Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Ltd, selected as the engineering, procurement and construction contractor at a cost of Rs 3,372.88 crore, excluding GST. Total project cost has been pegged at Rs 4,708.64 crore. The project will be financed through an 80:20 debt-equity ratio. OHPC will contribute 20% equity from its internal reserves, while the remaining 80% will be provided by the state government as a soft loan at an interest rate linked to the RBI repo rate. Scheduled for commissioning by 2030-31, the project is expected to generate around 1,040 million units (MU) of peak electricity annually, against 1,283 MU of off-peak energy required for pumping water. The pumped storage facility will help store surplus electricity during off-peak hours and generate power during peak demand.
