Bhubaneswar: Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Odisha Mineral Bearing Areas Development Corporation (OMBADC) G. Rajesh on Monday informed that 54 projects amounting to Rs.17916.16 crore have been approved since the 14th Board meeting held in April 2019.
Presenting the financial status of the company at the 26th Board of Directors Meeting of OMBADC under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary-cum-Chairman of OMBADC Pradeep Kumar Jena, the CEO said the projects have been proposed by 18 line departments and most of the approved projects are under implementation.
The line departments have successfully utilised an amount of Rs.7223.01 crore till date out of the total released fund of Rs.9737.58 crore. The projects pertain to sectors like Drinking Water, Education, Health, Livelihood, Environment Protection, Rural Connectivity and Water Conservation.
Under the drinking water sector, OMBADC has approved 30 Mega Pipe Water Supply projects for 4 mining districts- Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Mayurbhanj and Jajpur and Pallahada block of Angul out of which 03 projects have been partially commissioned and stared supplying water to 127 villages.
The 690-no. of single and multi-village scheme for 787 villages of Mayurbhanj and Drink from Tap (DFT) scheme for 14 ULBs have also been initiated. DFT scheme in two ULBs- Rairangpur and Sundargarh is completed and trial run is in progress. The total investment under the Drinking water sector is Rs. 8909 Cr.
The projects under the Education sector like infrastructure development in elementary, secondary schools and OAVs is under progress. 1351 no. of secondary schools have also been funded by OMBADC in three phases under the 5T initiative of Govt. of Odisha within the High School Transformation project. Till date works are completed in almost 75 % schools. The 4th phase project for 250 schools has also been approved by the Board of OMBADC in the current BoD meeting held on 21/08/2023.
OMBADC is also supporting in upgradation of Govt ITIs and Polytechnics in the mining districts and developing them as Centre of Excellenceand work is undertakenby the SD&TE dept. In the BoD meeting held today, 02 projects related to AR/VR simulation at ITI Koira and infra development in another 14 ITI s and 7 Govt. polytechnics in 08 mining districts have also been approved by the BOD of OMBADC.
Another ambitious project funded by OMBADC is construction of 11 indoor stadiums for ULBs and NACs and all works are completed for all the stadiums. Other projects funded under the education sector are related to strengthening the OUAT, RRTTSs and KVKs, infra development in GCE, Keonjhar and NC College Jajpur. The total investment in the Education sector is Rs. 3539.30 Cr.
Under the health sector, OMBADC has invested a total of Rs. 2942.91 Cr for infra development in the district, block and sub block level Health facilities, construction of 150 bedded MCH wing in the medical college at Jajpur, new infra projects for ICDS, construction of composite rehabilitation centers in OMBADC supported mining districts etc.
In the Water conservation, an investment of more than Rs.700 cr has been incurred through which several types of SMC activities have been initiated by the DFOs. Further, 2 Cr 6 months old saplings and 3 Cr 18 months old saplings are being grown which is being utilized for social forestry and afforestation purposes.
The Rural connectivity sector has a similar investment of approximately Rs. 700 Cr. which aims to connect unconnected habitations through construction of 249 all-weather roads and 25 bridges. Out of the approved 209 roads, 151 has been completed and out of 24 bridges, 11 are completed.
More than Rs. 500 Cr has been allocated for the Livelihood projects where activities like Horticulture, Animal husbandry, Fisheries, Sericulture and Handloom etc. has been approved by the Board. 948 SHGs have benefitted till date through fisheries interventions, 1194 broiler units and 643 Goat units have been established.
An amount of Rs. 19.75 Cr has been sanctioned for the Environment Protection and Pollution Control sector where 08 no. of CAAQMS have been installed in excessively polluted areas of the mining districts. Commissioning of 01 CAAQMS is pending.
In the meeting, Additional Chief Secretary of Revenue, Forest, Environment and Climate Change Department Satyabrata Sahu was inducted as the new director in the Board of OMBADC.
Other directors who attended the meeting were Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary Anu Garg, Additional Chief Secretary FE & CC Govt. of Odisha (through virtual mode), PCCF & HOFF Odisha, Govt. of Odisha, and all independent directors.
