Odisha Cabinet approves 18 proposals including new rural housing scheme

The Odisha government Monday approved 18 important proposals, including the plan to launch a new Mo Ghara' housing scheme in rural areas of the state, a top official said.

The Mo Ghara' scheme will provide financial assistance to meet the aspiration of the lower and lower-middle-income households of rural Odisha, Chief Secretary P K Jena told reporters after a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here.

The ruling BJD, which completed four years of its fifth term in office, had promised to convert all kutcha' houses into pucca' ones in this term.

The chief secretary said the financial implication of the Mo Ghara' scheme for approximately 4 lakh beneficiaries is expected to be Rs 2,150 crore over a period of two years.

It will cover all such families, which were left out of the existing housing schemes due to stringent eligibility criteria or insufficient allocation, and also those who had received housing assistance of smaller amount in the past and now wants to upgrade or expand their houses, Jena said.

The scheme for the people of rural areas will be implemented through the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department, he said.

The Cabinet also approved six drinking water projects in Bolangir district that will benefit more than 1.61 lakh residents of 222 villages and two rural drinking water supply projects in Gajapati district for over 1.31 lakh residents of 346 villages.

In another decision, the Cabinet approved a proposal to implement an institutional development plan with an outlay of Rs 2,000 crore for the transformation of Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology, Burla.

The implementation of the institute development plan for the transformation of VSSUT with an outlay of Rs 2,000 crore will broaden the horizon and give an impetus to multidisciplinary teaching and research.

The Cabinet also approved the establishment and incorporation of a university as an affiliate university in the name of Odisha University of Health Sciences which will facilitate achieving excellence in the field of Medical and Allied Health Education and Research.

In another approval, the Cabinet decided to develop the Konark Temple Complex.

The Konark Heritage Area Development Plan (KHADP) under the Integrated Development of Heritage and Monuments and Tourist Destination Scheme will transform the physical infrastructure in and around the temple complex.

An amount of Rs 209.73 crore has been sanctioned for execution of the project which will be completed within 18 months.

The Cabinet also approved a proposal to launch the Ekamra Kshetra Amenities and Monuments Revival Action Plan for the provision of amenities and revitalisation of various ancient monuments of the Old Town area in Bhubaneswar.

An amount of Rs 156.21 crore has been sanctioned for the execution of the project.

A proposal to make the Hindi movie Zwigato and the recently released Odia movie Delivery Boy tax-free till June 30, 2023, was also approved by the Cabinet.