Odisha: 15 new projects worth Rs 3,210 cr approved under OMBADC

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], December 25 : The Oversight Authority under the Chairmanship of Justice AK Patnaik has approved 15 new projects worth an estimated Rs 3,210 crore under OMBADC and expressed satisfaction over the quality and progress of the projects being implemented with Odisha Mineral Bearing Areas Development Corporation (OMBADC) funds.
Reviewing the projects in a high level meeting held on digital mode on Thursday, Justice Patnaik said, "The projects proposed by different departments are well planned with appropriate objectives".
During his visit to different OMBADC districts he had seen the project implementation moving at a fast rate. The feedback about the quality of the projects received from different quarters was also "quite good".
Justice Patnaik appreciated the remarkable efforts of the administration in facing the pandemic of Covid-19 and restarting the economic activities at a fast rate. He advised to create a micro-level data base of OMADC projects for effective real time monitoring.
Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy directed the Collectors to "expedite ground level implementation of the projects by maximum utilisation of the technical and engineering capacity already created at district level through OMBADC".
Collectors of Sundargarh, Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar district said that the district OMBADC cells had started functioning in their districts. Chief Secretary Tripathy directed OMBADC to "undertake an outcome assessment study of the OMBADC projects through an independent third party".
The new projects worth around Rs 3,210 cr were considered and sanctioned in the meeting. The approved projects included mega pipe water supply scheme to Lephripada, Tangrapalli, Sundargarh, Bargaon, Subdega and Balisankara block of Sundargarh district at an estimated cost of Rs 585.16 cr.
Mega pipe water supply to 1,053 villages of 13 blocks in Myurbhanj district with estimated cost of Rs 1,531.39 cr; sustainable livelihood programme for sericulture farmers in Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Sundaragarh, Jajpur and Dhenkanal district with cost of Rs. 82.29 cr; livelihood generation programmes through handicraft in Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Sundaragarh, Jajpur and Dhenkanal district with estimated cost of Rs.35.14 cr; strengthening the health services at sub-divisional hospitals, community health centres, primary health centres and health sub-centres of Mayurbhanj district with estimated cost of Rs. 47.25 cr.
Strengthening of infrastructural facilities, library, research centre in the Govt engineering college of Keonhjar district with estimated cost of Rs.33.39 cr; Opening of centres of excellence in Govt ITI and polytechnics in OMBADC area with estimated cost of Rs 123.45 cr; skill development of tribal youth with estimated cost of Rs 0.16 cr; Optic fiber connectivity to 1,713 schools and health institutions with estimated cost of Rs 3 cr; skill and entrepreneurship development among farmers and youths in agriculture and allied sectors at estimated cost of Rs146.92 cr.
Self-employment of women headed poor families in agriculture and allied sectors with estimated cost of Rs. 35.24 cr; development of mega nursery in Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Mayurbhanj and Jajpur districts with estimated cost of Rs 11.71 cr; enhancement of milk procurement from Jajpur district with estimated cost of Rs 20.48 cr; and, livelihood promotion activities through processing and marketing of non-timber forest products in the districts of Keonjhar, Sundargarh and Deogarh with estimated cost of Rs 43.43 cr.
Presenting the updates about the projects, Chief Executive Officer Uma Nadnduri said, "So far around 38 projects worth Rs 14,330 cr in seven priority sectors like drinking water, education, health, livelihood promotion, rural connectivity, environment protection, pollution control and water conservation through ground water recharge have been approved under OMBADC; and, around Rs 2,844 cr has been released to the executing agencies for implementation of the projects". The implementation of the projects has been speeded up and completion timeline has been fixed.