The Orissa agriculture and co-operation minister, Damodar Rout today came down heavily on the officials of the soil conservation department for slow progress and deviations in the projects taken up by the department. He directed the officials to involve the local people in various programmes and work towards creating awareness.
Rout reviewed the progress of various schemes implemented by the soil conservation department. It was found that out of the sanctioned strength of 2730 posts in the department, 339 posts are lying vacant. He said, out of Rs 163.14 crore budgetary allocation made in 2009-10, about Rs 141.34 crore has been spent till the end of January 2010.