ODISHA

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched the second version of the Odisha SDG Indicator Framework (OSIF 2.0) and urged every department to make intelligent use of this framework as together we march towards 2030. He said, Together we can; Together we will.

Joining the programme on virtual platform, the CM said the clarion call issued by the United Nations Goals (SDGs) is a testament that the only way going forward is to develop sustainably- integrating the social, economic and environmental dimensions of development.

Odisha has been a frontrunner in spearheading programmes that breathe Sustainable Development at its core. Odisha has been strengthening its resilience and adaptive capacity in dealing with natural disasters and is known today for its zero-casualty approach to Disaster Management. Through the Odisha Millets Mission, the State started the initiative of diversifying the food palette to improve the nutritional requirements of the Population while empowering small and marginal farmers.

Cyber criminals cheated several people of about Rs 2 crore in the state last year when the Police registered 2,037 such cases. It was a marginal increase (5.5%) from 2020 when 1931 cybercrimes were recorded.

In the bulk of the cases, unidentified cyber crooks took away from the victims by offering them high returns through different schemes, on purchases of pharmaceutical products, during online trading, installation of mobile towers and while sending gift parcels from abroad. In some cases, people lost money from their accounts after clicking on malicious links sent by the scammers to their phones and emails.

Not only is the rise in cybercrimes a cause of concern in this increasingly digital age, but also slow investigation and poor conviction, which have raised questions on the efficacy of cops in solving such cases. Going by theNational Crime Records Bureau, not a single case has resulted in conviction in the state between 2018 and 2020.

Paradip Port Authority (PPA) signed off 2022 by clocking highest ever monthly cargo throughput in the HISTORY of all major in the country. The port recorded all-time high record cargo handling of 12.6 MMT in December, 2022. PPA chairman PL Haranadh congratulated the staff for the magnificent performance. The year 2023 is going to augur well for the port as it is all set to cross the coveted 100 MMT cargo handling mark, in the month of January itself.

The Port is poised to set all-time record cargo handling of more than 125 MMT in the current fiscal. Till December, 2022 PPA has handled 96.81 MMT cargo against 83.6 MMT in the corresponding period of previous fiscal. Various system improvement measures, introduced by the port during 2022 fuelled Growth to the tune of 15.5 per cent over the previous year.

Coastal thermal coal handling showed a remarkable 58.11 per cent growth in comparison to previous fiscal and it also constitutes about 31.56 per cent of total cargo volume handled at the port. Paradip port is emerging as a coastal shipping hub of the country. The port has plans to ship thermal coal to power houses, located in Rajasthan, UP and Haryana.

With more than 6,000 villages in remote parts of Odisha without mobile connectivity, Union finance ministerNirmala Sitharamans announcement of one class, one TV channel initiave is likely to boost Education.

Under the Prime Minister (PM) e-VIDYA scheme that will be expanded from 12 to 200 TV channels, states will be able to provide supplementary education in regional language for classes 1 to 12, the finance minister said.

PM e-vidya scheme is in fact an innovative concept with one nation digital platform. It aims to ensure uninterrupted online education and e-content are made available throughSwamprava/Dikhyaportals and providing TEACHING through DTH channels exclusively devoted to teaching. Students can avail Learning through these channels from the comfort of their homes. This is a viable scheme to benefit the learners if executed properly. Education through TV channels is also tenable with a few channels earmarked exclusively for teaching at various classes. Even some top universities are going to be selected for online education.

Following the outbreak ofCovid, schools had to shift to online mode of education overnight. For the last two years, lakhs of students have been deprived of education due to the digital divide. With only 33% students of the 60 lakh students in 6 to 14 age group having access to online classes in Odisha, education through TV channels may help them greatly.

The Centre has expressed displeasure on the state governments poor progress in implementation of the vehicle location tracking system in public transport vehicles.
The ministry ofroad transportand highways has been providing financial assistance from Nirbhaya fund to states to implement the project for the safety of Women commuters. The has been asked to expedite thewomen safetyproject.

Sources said the proposed projects cost is around Rs 15.40 crore. The Centre and state would share 60% and 40% of the project cost, respectively. Out of the Central share of Rs 9.24 crore, the Centre has released nearly Rs 4.19 crore to the state government.
Under the project, all passenger buses, mini-buses, school buses and cabs/taxis will compulsorily be equipped with the vehicle location tracking (VLT) devices and panic buttons near the seats for the safety of women travellers. Women travellers in distress can press the emergency buttons and expect quick response from the Police.

The government will keep portions of the land for basic . Idco will have leasing rights on a part of the land and the individual landowner will have the leasing rights on the balanced developed land, according to the Industrial Policy Resolution (IPR) 2022, unveiled on the first day of the Make in Odisha investors’ meet.

The policy said at least three new industrial Infrastructure Development projects will be implemented. They are Odisha East Coast Economic Corridor along National Highway 16 which passes through Bhubaneswar and touches most coastal districts from Ganjam to Balasore, Biju Economic Corridor along the Biju Expressway covering the western Odisha districts and Odisha East-West Economic Corridor from Khurda toJharsuguda. What is being seen as a move to ensure regional balance, industries coming up in Biju Economic Corridor in western Odisha will be considered under “thrust sector”, eligible for maximum incentives.

The new industrial units in the priority and thrust sectors will be reimbursed power tariff of Rs 2 per unit for a period of seven and 10 years respectively. Eligible industrial units in thrust and priority sectors shall be provided 30% and 20% capital Investment subsidy respectively.

RAILWAY ministerAshwini VaishnawtoldLok Sabhaon Wednesday that a survey for construction of a new line betweenPuriandKonark(33km) has been completed and the cost of the project has been assessed as Rs 725.78 crore.

Vaishnaw said the survey report has been taken up for firming up the requirements and financial viability of the project, including the aspect of cost sharing with the Odisha government.

Though the ECoR had conducted a preliminary engineering and traffic (PET) survey for the proposedPuri-Konarkrailway line via Ramachandi in 2017, the route alignment was objected by the forest department. The rail line was supposed to pass through the Balukhand-Konark wildlife sanctuary located in the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ).

On April 28, 2017, chief minister Naveen Patnaik had proposed to bear 50 percent of the project cost of the Puri-Konark new line to boost the tourism potential of the Bhubaneswar-Konark-Puri Golden Triangle.

The Odisha government has decided to include members of thetransgender communityin a social welfare scheme which provides amonthly pensionto the needy.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has approved a proposal to cover the members of the community underthe Madhu Babu Pension Yojana(MBPY) which aims at providing financial assistance to the destitute elderly, differently-abled persons and widows, he said.

Around 5,000 transgenders will get a monthly pension in between Rs 500 and Rs 900 depending on their age, Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD) minister Ashok Panda said.

The government’s decision was taken in view of the promises made in the ruling BJD’s manifesto for the 2019 Assemble polls, the minister said.

Full exemption of motor vehicles taxes and registration fees on electric vehicles (EVs) was announced by Odisha Government.

Highlights:

This move was made to encourage the rapid uptake of electric vehicles.
The Odisha Motor Vehicles Act awarded the exemption, which is valid until 2025.
In accordance with the Odisha Electric Car Policy, the State Government also proposes to provide some incentives to electric vehicle producers, customers, batteries, and charging stations.
The government has stated that battery-powered vehicles will be exempt from all motor vehicle taxes and registration expenses.
In order to entice clients, the Transportation Department filed a proposal to the government to authorize subsidies on e-vehicles.
The plan has now been approved by the government.
These incentives will not be based on battery capacity, as they are in other states such as Delhi and Gujarat.