Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government Friday cleared 22 proposals including Rs17,000 crore livelihood projects and Rs 2000 crore industrial parks.

Briefing about the cabinet meeting, held under the chairmanship of chief minister Naveen Patnaik, the chief secretary Asit Tripathy said that the Rs 17,000 crore livelihood project is aimed at ameliorating the plights of migrant workers and the people affected greatly due to Covid-19 pandemic. The amount would be spent between June 2020 and March 2021, he added.

The government provided Rs 6,440 crore for MNREGA works in the State. This would create 20 crore manndays for 46 lakh persons. Out of this Rs 140 crore would be spend for skill development of migrant workers. The Panchyati Raj department will train 40,000 returnees migrant workers.

The government would spend Rs 373 crore in agriculture and allied sectors. Over 24.57 lakh farmers would be benefited from this programme.

The chief secretary said that two industrial parks at Dhamra and Dhenkanal with an investment of Rs 2000 crore. The parks will established over an area of 1000 acres each. While a textile park will be come up at Dhamra, a medical park will be established in Dhenkanal. The project will attract Rs 6000-7000 crore investment. While the Dhamra textile park will create jobs for 20,000 persons, the Dhenkanal Park will engage about 17,000 persons

The cabinet has approved a proposal to provide Rs 15 crore to Aska Sugar Mill in Ganjam district.

The other decisions of the cabinet are:

  1. Registrations of cooperative societies would be renewed every five years. Ombudsman will be appointed for dispute redress.
  2. Idco will provide land to hotel and restaurant industries for development of tourism sector.
  3. OREDA will be placed under the administrative control of energy department.
  4. Farmers would be encouraged to sell their produce in the national market through e-market.
  5. Undergraduate courses under OUAT would be given the status of professional courses.