Bhubaneswar: The state cabinet Thursday gave its approval for nine proposals, including the much-awaited allocation of land for the laying the Daspalla-Bolangir segment of Khurda-Bolangir broad gauge railway line. The cabinet decided to transfer 881.745 acres of government land spread over 172 villages under Boudh, Sonepur and Bolangir districts free of cost to the Ministry of Railways.
Another approval of import was that for a project to supply piped drinking water to scarcity-hit areas of Koraput district at a cost of Rs 316.53 crore. The project is to be executed from BASUDHA (State plan Funding). As many as 2,79,966 people of 268 villages under three Blocks — Boriguma, Kotapada and Jeypore block in Koraput district will benefit from the scheme.
Briefing newspersons after the Cabinet meeting, Chief Secretary AP Padhi said the cabinet approved the lowest tender of M/S JMC Projects and Ramky Infrastructure, Mumbai, for the execution of the project within the targeted 24 months.
The cabinet has also decided to withdraw the proposal for the insertion of a provision for the appointment of a pro-chancellor under Clause 4 of the Biju Patnaik University of Technology (Amendment Bill) 2016.
The Bill had been passed by the Assembly in September 2016 and then submitted to the Governor for his assent. However, the Governor returned the Bill for reconsideration of the Assembly as to whether the insertion of a clause for Pro-Chancellor in the light of the ICAR Act was desirable.
Another proposal approved was the handing over of 2,970 acres to IDCO for Tata Steel to establish a steel plant at Gopalpur. Of this, the central government had notified 1,235 acres as an SEZ.
According to Padhi, the decision to allocate 1,235 acres to TSSEZL for utilisation as an SEZ and 1,735 acres for the establishment of a private industrial park as domestic tariff area was also taken at the meeting.
Another cabinet decision, of note was the sanction of lease land measuring 181.77 dec free of premium and incidental charges but subject to payment of Rs100 per acre per annum towards annual ground rent and cess in favour of the Director IIM-Indore and Mentor Director IIM-Sambalpur for establishment of a permanent campus of IIM-Sambalpur under Sambalpur Tehsil.
Official sources said the state exchequer has to forgo Rs 2,35,19,595 on non-recurring basis and Rs 3,42,365 on recurring basis in view of the decision of the cabinet.
