ODISHA

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced that the will provide rice free of cost to the beneficiaries of the State Food Security Scheme (SFSS) for one more year from January to December this year.

As per the direction of the chief minister, the state government has now decided to provide 5 kg rice per month to the beneficiaries. The total expenditure of Rs 185 crore will be met from the state exchequer.The state government has been distributing rice to the left-out eligible beneficiaries covered under the SFSS at Rs 1 per kg since October 2018. Now it will be free of cost for the next 12 months.

The SFSS beneficiaries have also been provided with additional rice and pulses during the last 28 months because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Besides, Rs 1,000 cash incentive was given to each family under National Food Security Act and SFSS twice.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday launched projects worth Rs 2,500 crore for Cuttack and Khurda districts.

He launched the distribution of Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) cards for the two districts, raising the number of districts covered under the scheme to 26 out of 30. Attending a programme at Bali Jatra ground in Cuttack, Naveen said the BSKY reflects the commitment of the ‘s healthyOdishacampaign. “These BSKY cards will serve the people of Odisha like protective shields,” he said.

Regarding the redevelopment of SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack as a world-class healthcare institution, he said this project will become a milestone in the field for the country.

Mineral revenue continues to outsmart all other revenue collections in Odisha and it is expected that the will generate more fund from this sector during this fiscal as the collection up to September is much better compared to last years corresponding period.

The latest report on revenue collection reveals that in the mineral sector there is a Growth of 3.9% compared to the corresponding period of last fiscal. During last six months, a Budget Estimate of 44.79% is achieved. While for 2022-23 the Budget Estimate for the mineral sector was set at Rs 43,444 crore, the collection is much better during last six months.

While the revenue collection from mineral sector in 2021-22 was Rs 48, 642 crore, which was a record of sort, financial experts opine that that this year also it will surpass the earlier amount as the trend is positive.

Three months after launching a scheme for children who have lost either both or one of their parents due to Covid-19, the decided to close the scheme Ashirbad from September 15.

On June 20, chief ministerNaveen Patnaikhad announced the new scheme Ashirbad to help three categories of children who have lost both their parents or single parent or one parent (the primary bread earner) on or after April 1, 2020.

According to the provisions, the state government will transfer a monthly sum of Rs 2,500 to the bank accounts of caregivers, who have taken responsibility for a child following the death of his/her parents.

The assistance will be released towards maintenance, Health and Education of the child and it will continue till the child attains 18 years or till his/her adoption by someone.

A child, who has lost one of the parents and continues to live with the remaining parent will get Rs 1,500 per month in the account of the remaining parents or child concerned till he/she attains 18 years.

The government will also help the kids to continue their education and provide facilities under other government schemes and plans.

In Keonjhar district of Odisha, there were 112 elephants in 2002. Now, it has only 40 elephants due to large-scale mining.

Recently, in last 20 days of July-August, five elephants were found dead in Keonjhar forest division.

Dhenkanal district had 81 elephants in 2002 which has increased to 169. Many elephants are getting trapped in the Rengali Irrigation canals.

On the similar lines, 70 elephants from Chandaka sanctuary have abandoned the area and have migrated to Nayagarh, Ganjam and Cuttack districts. Many of them were killed by trains or due to electrocution in Ganjam.

Around 20 adult breeding male elephants die per year, mostly because of poaching and electrocution.

Instance of the distressed elephants in Odisha has gone up with time because their habitats and paths are continuously encroached upon for farming, mining, industries and Urbanisation. In the districts like Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda and Angul, elephants lost their habitats due to rampant mining.

State had 2,044 elephants in Odisha in the year 1979. But as per census 2017, their numbers have reduced to 1976 as they were compelled to leave native forests. Now, elephants are restricted to 26 districts out of 30 districts. 2017 census highlights that, 344 out of 1,976 elephant Population were male.

Most of the elephant corridors and reserve plans are only confined to paper. Traditional elephant corridors have been degraded that has restricted their Migration. In 2010, Fourteen elephant corridors were officially identified covering over 870 sq. km.

Police stations in the state are no longer inferior in looks compared to swanky corporate offices. However, the commissionerate police have decided to preserve the 155-year-old building ofChandakapolice station in the city, built in 1868, and turn it into a heritage museum.

TheShree Lingarajand Chandaka police stations in the capital were built by the British. Though official records say Chandaka police station was built in 1868, there is no record to ascertain the year of establishment of ShreeLingarajpolice station, which used to be called Bhubaneswar police station before it was renamed.

Shree Lingaraj police station, which had been functioning from an age-old asbestos building in front of Lingaraj Temple, has been operating from a temporary building for the past few months. The old building was demolished for the ongoing redevelopment work around the Lingaraj Temple.

Drinking water projects worth Rs 1,550 crore for various rural and urban areas in Sundargarh, Keonjhar and Cuttack district approved by the state cabinet as part of its effort to provide piped water supply to all rural households by March 2024.

State minister Pratap Jena said drinking water projects worth Rs 1,175 crore were approved for Sundargarh district, which would benefit around 6.40 lakh people in 10 blocks of the tribal-dominated district. The projects will be funded from Odisha Mineral Bearing Area Development Corporation and district mineral foundation funds.

Another drinking water project worth Rs 275 crore has been sanctioned to provide Safe drinking water to nearly 2.61 lakh people in four blocks of Cuttack district. The project will be funded under the Centres Jal Jeevan Mission.

The cabinet also approved amendment of theOdisha Government Land Settlement Act, 1962 to simplify and settle various types of lands like Khasmahal, Nazul, Gramakantha Parambok and Abadi in favour of persons under occupation.

As per the amendment, any person in occupation of such types of land shall apply within a period specified by the government from time to time failing which he/she shall be evicted from the land and government will take over it.

Construction of the Jhartarbha-Sonepur section ofKhurdaRoad-Balangir new line will be over by August-end. This 21.7 km section will bring this western Odisha town on the RAILWAY map. FromBalangir, the railway line has been completed tillJhartarbha.

The project sanctioned in 1994-95 has been delayed due to several reasons, including court cases and lack of forest clearance. So far, the railways has commissioned 115 km of railway line out of 301km. It has completed 90.4km from Khurda Road toNuagaonand 24.9km from Balangir to Jhartarabha.

East Coast Railway (ECoR) sources said the Jhartarbha-Khambeswarpalli stretch (11.4km) from Balangir side will be ready by June-end. Similarly, the 10.3 km section from Khambeswarpalli toSonepurwill be completed by August-end.

In December , the government handed over land of 99 villages in Nayagarh district for the railway project work. Around one lakh trees will be felled for this rail line.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik sought exemption of GST on purchase Vaccines for Covid-19 by the states for the Population between the age group of 18 to 45 years.

In a letter to Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the chief minister also sought financial assistance to the states from cess and surcharges collected by the government of India.

Strengthening states financially will further strengthen the fight against the pandemic including provision of vaccinations, free treatment, undertaking preventive measures and other steps.

The has estimated to spend around Rs 2,000 crore to vaccinate around 2 crore population between the age group of 18 and 45 years.