Bhubaneswar: Odisha Cabinet today approved 19 key proposals at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at Lok Seva Bhavan in Bhubaneswar.

Total 19 proposals from 12 departments were presented at the meeting. The Government approved all including banking services in all 4373 unbanked gram panchayats in the state.

Here're the key proposals that got the cabinet nod:

1. Amendment to Odisha Mobile Towers and Telegraph Line, OFC and related Telecom Infrastructure Policy, 2017

The proposed amendment in Odisha Mobile Towers and Telegraph Line, OFC and related Telecom Infrastructure Policy, 2017, aims to modify the existing state policy by amending some of the existing clauses so as to align it with the provisions of Indian Telegraph Right of Way (Amendment) Rules 2022, and to facilitate faster and easier deployment of Telecom infrastructure to enable speedy 5G rollout, mitigate the operational difficulties and to upgrade quality of services across the state.

2. Provision of funds for special programme for promotion of Millets-Odisha Millets Mission

The programme was launched by the state government in 2017 to revive millets in farms and on plates to promote climate resilient farming and contribute to addressing micronutrient deficiency. The programme is implemented through Women Self Help Groups, with support of NGOs and research institutions with oversight from the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Empowerment. The programme is supported through state plan and DMF. For smooth implementation of the programme, the state cabinet approved an estimated budget of Rs 2687.4587 Crore for four financial years (2023-24 to 2026-27).

3. Approval of Odisha Subordinate Fisheries Service (Recruitment and Conditions of Service) Amendment Rules, 2023

The proposed amendment intends to exclude viva voce/interview and to fix certain percentage i.e, 50% for Diploma in Agro Polytechnic in Fisheries Science, 25% for Plus II Vocational (Fisheries) and 25% for Plus II Science which will facilitate the enhancement of competitiveness in the process of recruitment of Junior Fisheries Technical Assistant, Group-C conducted by the Odisha Staff Selection Commission.

4. Providing Banking services in all 4373 unbanked GPs of the state through CSP Plus banking outlets.

The cabinet approved the scheme to open CSP Plus banking outlet in coordination with six public sector banks namely SBI, Punjab National Bank, UCO Bank, Union Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, and Bank of India in 4373 unbanked Gram Panchayats of the state with budgetary support of around Rs 500 crore. The scheme will be implemented in a phased manner to cover all unbanked GPs for providing banking services through the CSP Plus banking outlets within the current fiscal 2023-24. The Government will provide the rent free banking space for five years. In addition to this, the Government will also bear onetime expenses for Fixed Cost and Recurring expenses for a period of three years.

5. Odisha Public Private Partnership (PPP) Policy 2023.

The PPP Policy was formulated by Directorate of PPP, Finance Department for reinforcement and further accelerating the growth of PPPs in the state. It will help the state to adapt to changes in the PPP system. The policy aims for an optimum balance between private sector risk and rewards. The fundamental benefit of the policy is to provide value for money to the state, resulting in better and affordable services over the long term.

6. Framing of the Odisha Sub-ordinate Staff Selection Commission (Preservation and Destruction of Records) Rules, 2023.

This will facilitate to create more space for the examination papers and other related documents for ensuing examinations conducted by Odisha Sub-ordinate Staff Selection Commission.

7. Amendment to Odisha Sub-ordinate Staff Selection Commission (Method of Recruitment and Conditions of Service of the Chairman and Members) Rules, 2012.

The amendment to the rule will enable enhancement of upper age limit from 62 years to 65 years, increase in pay, no additional pension, maximum gratuity limited to Rs 20 lakh considering both services rendered in the Commission and previous services, subscription of GPF or CPF till the age of superannuation in the previous service and LTC as admissible to All India Service Officers for the Chairman and Members of Odisha Sub-ordinate Staff Selection Commission.

8. Amendment to Odisha Government Rules of Business

The Cabinet approved the proposal to amend Odisha Government Rules of Business by allocating two new subjects -- Energy Transition and Green Hydrogen -- to Energy Department to coordinate the efforts of various Departments for adoption of renewable energy and use of Green Hydrogen.

9. Amendment to Odisha Public Service Commission (Conditions of Service) Regulations, 1952.

The amendment to the rule will enable for increase in pay, no additional pension, limiting the gratuity maximum upto Rs 20 lakh considering both the services rendered in the Commission and previous services, contribution to NPS, subscription to GPF/CPF till attaining the age of superannuation in the previous service for the Chairman and Members of OPSC.

10. Outright purchase of O-Hub by MSME Department from IDCO at cost of Rs 350 Crore.

The Cabinet approved outright purchase of both towers A and B of O-Hub by MSME Department from IDCO at cost of Rs 350 Crore. The O-Hub building at Chandaka IT/ITES SEZ built by IDCO will work as the main fulcrum of startup ecosystem of Odisha. It currently houses Startup Odisha office and small number of startups. The target is to house 500 startups in O-Hub by 2025.

11. Restructuring of Odisha Industries Service (OIS) cadre, Industries Promotion Officer (IPO) cadre and Industrial Supervisor (IS) cadre of MSME Department.

The IPO and IS cadres are proposed to be declared as dying cadres. NO recruitment in these cadres shall be done in future. The incumbent IPOs and ISs will however continue to get all service benefits as per existing rules.

The post of Assistant Industries Officer of Group-B is proposed to be entry level post of OIS cadre which will be filled up partly by direct recruitment and partly by selection from eligible IPOs and ISs. Degree in any engineering discipline shall be the minimum qualification required for the direct recruitment to the post of Assistant Industries Officer.

The total sanctioned strength of OIS cadre is enhanced from 108 to 553 by creating 445 new posts in all ranks from Level 10 to 15 of scale of pay.

12. Execution of 4 mega piped water supply projects in Puri.

Odisha Cabinet approved a proposal for execution of four mega piped water supply projects to provide safe drinking water in Puri district out of JJM funding. Around 4,60,612 people of 498 villages under 92 GPs of 7 blocks of the district will be benefited.

13. Amendment to Odisha Government Land Settlement (OGLS) Rules, 1983.

The amendment will simplify the manner of settlement of Khasmahal, Nazul, Gramakantha Paramboke and Abadi categories of lands with persons in lawful occupation of such lands and also to make provision for conversion of lease hold land of Odisha State Housing Board and Development Authorities into free hold as well as settlement of Government land directly on free hold basis in their favour for development of housing or residential projects. The amended provisions will be implemented after publication of the OGLS (Amendment) Rules 2023 in the official Gazette.

14. Free lease of 48.842 acre land in Jatni to NISER for Cancer Hospital by TATA Memorial Centre.

The Cabinet approved Revenue and Disaster Management Department's proposal to lease out government land totaling 48.842 Acre in Padanpur, Baratota, Bhimapur and Belapada Mouza under Jatni Tahasil of Khordha district in favour of National Institute of Science Education & Research (NISER), Bhubaneswar on free of all charges basis for setting up Cancer Hospital & Education Centre by TATA Memorial Centre.

15. Amendment in section-3 of ORV Act 1975.

In the Odisha Reservation of Vacancies in Post and Services (for SC and ST) Act, 1975, Section-3 shall be renumbered as sub-section (1) as thereof and in sub-section (1) as so renumbered.

A. after clause (i), the following clause shall be inserted namely: "(j) Schematic Posts"

B. after sub-section (1) so renumbered, the following sub-section shall be inserted namely: "(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in the sub-section (1), reservation shall apply to appointment made or to be made to all tenure posts or contractual posts or Schematic posts which are to be regularised against the sanctioned posts."

16. Construction of distribution system for 3745 Ha. of CCA of Kusumi Smart Irrigation Project over Kusumi River at Sunalati Krushnaprasad in Nayagarh block through Underground Pipeline Irrigation System (Pressure Flow) in Nayagarh district on EPC mode.

The Cabinet approved the tender for the above work for an execution amount of Rs 119,03,31,753 and O&M cost of five years amounting to Rs 6,54,68,247. The work will be completed in 18 months.

17. Nutana Unnata Abhilasha (NUA) scheme.

The NUA scheme was approved with an outlay of Rs 385 crore to skill a lakh of youth every year in Odisha during next 3 years. The scheme will be implemented across all 30 districts in the state skilling and reskilling the youth. The programme will be provided through SD&TE department, government skilling institutions, educational institutions and clusters (MSME, Agriculture, Craft etc).

18. Proposal to write off arrear tax cases between Rs. 5001 to Rs. 25,000 in each case relating to the OST Act, OAST Act, CST Act, Odisha Entertainment Tax Act and OVAT Act except for 6 goods namely; petrol, diesel, ATF, natural gas, petroleum crude oil and liquor for human consumption.

There are 59,243 arrear tax cases with revenue implication of Rs.8156.72crore. Out of the same, there are 27,546 arrear tax cases
between Rs. 5001.00 to Rs. 25,000.00 totaling to Rs.32,73,97,876.00. If considered to be written off, it will reduce 46% of arrear cases with a sacrifice of arrear revenue of 0.4% of the total arrear revenue.

In order to settle 27,546 number of arrear tax cases, the proposal is to write off of arrear tax revenue (including tax, interest and penalty)between Rs. 5001.00 to Rs. 25000.00 in each case under OST Act, OAST Act, CST Act, OVAT Act except for 6 goods namely; petrol, diesel, ATF, natural gas, petroleum crude oil and liquor for human consumption and Odisha Entertainment Tax Act up to 31.03.2023. However, Arrear Tax revenue under the Odisha Entry Tax Act and the Odisha State Tax on Profession, Trade and Calling and Employment Act, 2000 shall not be written off.