Roopa Roshan Sahoo, secretary of the department, in a letter to all collectors on Wednesday, directed the schools, hostels and establishments to adopt the “eco-friendly” campaign and convert all the kitchens to LPG-based cooking environment.

She said the government has consistently taken steps for smooth functioning of the residential facilities by providing better and improved amenities including strengthening of infrastructure. Similarly, the entitlements of the boarder students have been expanded by providing winter clothes, casual dresses, improvement in diet etc.

“Now, this has been decided to add one more improvement, particularly for strengthening the cooking facilities in the institutions while phasing out the conventional methods by LPG so as to ensure a green and healthy alternative in and around the hostel kitchens. During next two years, all the hostels will have LPG based cooking facilities,’’ she said in the letter.

At present, there are 1,736 schools functioning under the department, while there are around 6,000 hostels including the hostels under Anwesha and Akankhya programme in which more than 5 lakh ST&SC students have been housed.

During 2024-25, all high schools (422), higher secondary schools (62), Biju Pattnaik Adarsh Vidyalaya (1), Kalinga Model Residential School (5) and Anwesha Hostels (93) including 1,222 hostels with 1,76,000 boarders will be included in the plan. The remaining schools and hostels will be covered during 2025-26.

To implement the plan, additional funds have been provisioned in amenities sector in 2024-25 Budget besides the fuel charges. The provision of cooking gas chullah, LPG cylinders, fuel etc has been incorporated in the entitlements and amenities guidelines.

During first phase of 2024-25, all hostels in 50 high schools, 20 higher secondary schools, 5 KMRS, 1 BPAV and 25 Anwesha Hostels will be taken up and completed by June 30. “The selection of specific school and hostel will be decided at district level and communicated to the department,” the letter stated.

Speaking on the occasion, Pandian said that the Chief Minister will launch a portal for online registration for Nua-O Magic Smart Cards for eligible students in the state on March 5 to provide several facilities, 5T and Nabin Odisha Chairman V K Pandian announced on Monday.

After the CM launches the Magic Smart Card scheme on March 5, eligible students of Plus III and PG classes will be able to get themselves registered in order to get a host of facilities, he said.

The Magic Smart Cards would be distributed to all eligible students on August 15 after scrutiny, verification and completion of all formalities, Pandian said.

Pandian attended the Nua-O Scholarship distribution programme in these three districts where he interacted with the students from 57 colleges of Sambalpur, Angul and Deogarh. Under the scheme all eligible PG and UG students from state government universities, Govt Colleges, non-Govt aided and unaided Colleges will be benefitted.

The scholarship amount for general and OBC male and female students is Rs. 9,000 and Rs 10,000 respectively whereas for SC/ST and Nirman Shramik male and female students it is 10,000 and Rs 11,000 respectively.

Pandian informed that 13,423 students from 21 colleges of Sambalpur district; 11,265 students from 25 colleges of Angul district and 3,424 students from 11 colleges of Deogarh district will get their scholarship amount in their bank accounts today. With this, Rs. 28.00 Crores sanctioned for 28,112 nos. of students from these three districts. He distributed Nua-O Scholarship Sanction Orders to the students.

He said that the decade of 2024-34 will be the era of the youth, who will be empowered by the state government to achieve the goal of Nua Odisha.

Pandian said that the government’s next major initiative will be to cover all the students through the launching of the futuristic Nabin Odisha Magic Card, a points- system based smart card which will engage and empower the youth and enable them towards academic development, personality development, skill development and employment. It will create a platform for the youth to aspire and achieve their dreams. It will be encouraging and empowering the youth by providing physical and digital access to resources which will help them in their career growth and personality development.

This card will be a “Passport to Prosperity”. Based on points earned through various activities and parameters the cards will be upgraded to *Silver, Gold and Platinum level. The Cards will be allotted and upgraded based on the performance of student in terms of attendance, discipline, academic performance, participation in extracurricular activities, sports, online courses, personality development courses etc.

Every involvement of the student will be measured, honoured and valued. Their academic achievements, creativity, sports achievements, social/community work, etc. will be recognised and appreciated through this points-system.

These cards can provide access to various facilities like – Bus/Train/Flights concession; access to Phone/ Data recharge and Wi-Fi ; e-libraries; Online Academic courses ; Personality development courses and workshops ; Coaching Centres and Tuition classes; Skill Development courses ; Career counselling; Language courses including Odia and English; “Earn While You Learn” opportunities; Volunteering opportunities; Access to stadiums during the national and international tournaments; Access to Journals and Seminars; Access to tourist places, Museums, etc.

This card will also provide Job and Placement opportunities through sharing of this data with the potential recruiting companies-A LinkedIn type platform for the students to interact with the industry and will integrate with the Start Up ecosystem to encourage the students to aspire to be entrepreneurs and also to provide priority loans for the students under various schemes like Swayam etc. Government will actively engage with the private sector to provide more benefits to the students through these smart cards.

The Government will take further inputs from the students and teachers on the various activities which can be included in this points-system. The Card will be completely technology driven and will be a revolutionary concept towards youth engagement and empowerment.

The Chief Minister also inaugurated a dialysis centre at Umerkote sub-divisional hospital (SDH) in Nabarangpur, district headquarters hospital (DHH) in Sonepur, and BMRC cardiac care hospital in Jharsuguda. He also laid the foundation of an SDH at Begunia in Khurda district.

Earlier, the CM had inaugurated 73 Ama Hospitals in 15 districts and 5 dialysis centres at sub-division level in the first phase. Altogether 140 Ama Hospitals have so far been launched in the state with the inauguration of 67 more facilities on Monday.

Speaking on the occasion, Naveen hoped that these hospitals will chart a new course in health care services in the state. The hospitals have been transformed keeping the convenience of the patients in mind, he added.

The infrastructure, basic facilities for the patients and service delivery system have been improvised under the 5T initiative of the government in these hospitals.

The chief minister said the government targets to cover 1,858 hospitals under the transformation drive in next 5 years. A provision of more than Rs 3,300 crore has been made for implementation of the scheme.

With the inclusion of Birmaharajpur in the list, the number of new NACs being formed in the state has gone up to 35 now, an official release said.

Birmaharajpur is at present a sub-divisional headquarters in Sonepur district in western Odisha.
On Saturday, the CM had announced the formation of 34 new notified area councils in 20 districts and the upgradation of five existing NACs into municipalities.

The government, in a statement, said the new NACs and municipalities were created in view of the public demand and increasing population and socio-economic development of the state.

The five NACs, which have been upgraded into municipalities, are Boudhgarh in Boudh district, Karanjia in Mayurbhanj, Kantabanji in Bolangir and Chatrapur and Aska in Ganjam, official sources said.

The five NACs that are being upgraded to municipalities are Boudhgarh in the Boudh district, Karanjia in the Mayurbhanj district, Kantabanji in the Balangir and Chatrapur and Aska NACs in Ganjam district, official sources said.

The decision was taken following 5T and Nabin Odisha Chairman V K Pandian’s district tours and keeping the demands of people along with development of the areas in mind.

The newly created NACs are Pallahada and Chhendipada in Angul district, Basta and Simulia in Balasore district, Paikamal and Veden in Bargarh district, Agarpada in Bhadrak district, Belapada and Sintala in Bolangir district, Binjharpur, Panikoili, Jaraka and Chandikhole in Jajpur district, Jayapatna in Kalahandi district, Raikia in Kandhamal district, Boriguma in Koraput district, Sinapali in Nuapada district, Chandili, Muniguda and Bisamakataka in Rayagada district, Dunguripali in Subarnapur district, Banei in Sundargarh district, Shergarh and Kukudakhandi in Ganjam district, Kantilo in Nayagarh district, Tangi and Begunia in Khordha district, Salepur, Badamba, Narasinghpur and Niali in Cuttack district, Betonati in Mayurbhanj district, Parjang in Dhenkanal district and Kantamal in Boudh district.

The creation of new NACs and municipalities was prompted by public demand and factoring in the rising population and socio-economic development of the state, the sources added.

Inaugurating the app, Anu Garg, Development Commissioner and Chairman of CRUT said, “The new improved app will ensure ease of travel and empower the commuters to know the live arrival time of their bus and see real-time bus occupancy. This will help the citizens plan their travel accordingly.”

The new ‘CRUT MO BUS’ app is available on Android as well as IOS. Commuters can find the cheapest and fastest trip options and buy a mobile bus pass directly through the app.

To further facilitate cashless transaction, Garg announced special offer for Tap & Pay Mo Bus card. “A commuter will get 40% extra on top up of Rs 500 and 50% extra on top up of Rs 1000 excluding the cost of the card,” she said.

The offer is valid in Capital Region as well as Rourkela for a month starting from March 1.

The new app will have the following features:

Live bus tracking
Estimated time of arrival
Real-time bus occupancy
Online ticketing & pass purchase
Buses nearby

Commuters can tap the Mo Bus card on the ticketing machine of the guide (conductor) and the ticket will be issued. Due to the use of this card, people will not be facing the issue of change and dues. The commuters can buy this card from the Guide in the bus. The cards are also available in the Master Canteen bus terminal and CRUT office in Patia, Bhubaneswar.

In Rourkela, the commuters can buy the card from Mo Bus counter in the city bus stand. In Cuttack, the passes will be available at CNBT. CRUT will also put up kiosk across the Capital Region and Rourkela to sell these cards.

G Mathi Vathanan, Principal Secretary, Housing & Urban Development Department said, “The new mobile app and Mo Bus card promotional offer will further facilitate digital payment and ensure seamless travel for the commuters.”

Arun Bothra, Managing Director, CRUT said, “The move is aimed at improving contactless payment and also
to make the Mo Bus journey more enjoyable, hassle free and at par with the best bus services in the world.

5T and Nabin Odisha Chairman VK Pandian on Friday issued the direction in this regard to the officials during his visit to the project site on Friday.

He inspected all elements of the development plan starting with parking space near Sanitarium Chhak, where besides bus parking and car parking, tourist conveniences, vending zone and Lingaraj police station will be constructed.

Focusing on the rehabilitation of the shopkeepers and the vendors, he said their livelihood must be ensured in all possible ways. Reviewing the land requirements for the alternative road from Kotitirtheswar to Taleswar parallel to Bindusagar road, he advised BMC to hand over balance land wherever required for construction of drains.

He also inspected the area behind the Ananta Vasudev Temple, the location of open Bhajan Mandap and Lingaraj Plaza area and advised to plan the foundation for queue management system in a manner not to disturb the landscape during annual requirements like Sivaratri. Scientific management of traffic was discussed during the review.

To promote a clean environment around the temple, battery operated vehicles will be used to ferry passengers around the temple.

He also inspected the south side of the Parikrama and OAR, and the alternative bypass road planned near Badheibank Chhak. He advised to plan for smooth curves at all crossings and expedite the land acquisition process.

During the visit, principal secretary, Works; BMC Commissioner; Collector, DCP, OBCC MD and other senior officers were present.

This is 62.50 per cent more than the current remuneration. A total of 13,000 self-employed mechanics of the state will benefit from this increase, official sources said on Friday.

It is worth mentioning that during the district tours of 5T and Nabin Odisha Chairman V K Pandian, there were requests and proposals in this regard from various volunteer mechanics and representatives. After discussion on the issue, it was decided to increase the salary of self-employed artisans.

To provide regular clean drinking water to all the villages of the state and to eliminate waterlogging, two mechanics are employed in every village panchayat. They provide continuous services for piped water supply, maintenance, and repair of tube wells.

Inaugurating the facility, the chief minister said Odisha has scripted success stories in many spheres over the years. The ‘New Odisha’ is forging ahead towards progress, buoyed by innovation, new ideas and a strong entrepreneurial ethos.

“Odisha’s growth trajectory is fuelled by a robust ecosystem which will further boost entrepreneurship, technological innovation and new age businesses. Accenture’s expertise in these areas will add immense value to our endeavours. Opening of Accenture’s Advanced Technology Centre marks yet another watershed moment, signifying the fast-changing IT, strategy and consulting ecosystem in the state,” he added.

Tusharkanti Behera, Minister of State for Electronics & IT said Bhubaneswar has become a global hotspot for IT, ESDM and consulting companies. “With its visionary policies and vibrant ecosystem, the state has emerged as the undisputed leader in the IT domain, shaping the future of technology. Accenture’s new technology centre will create more opportunities for the youths in state,” he added.

Stating that Odisha is home to reputed academic institutions and a rich pool of skilled talent, Bhaskar Ghosh, Chief Strategy Officer, Accenture said, “Our Bhubaneswar centre will build transformative solutions for our clients using the cloud, data, and AI including generative AI.” Manoj Kumar Mishra, Principal Secretary, E&IT Department also spoke.

Located at the Odisha Technology Centre, the IT company’s Bhubaneswar centre is spread over 70,000 sq ft and designed to accommodate 2000 professionals in hybrid work environment with potential for future expansion.

Accenture is a leading global professional services company covering over 743,000 people including over 300,000 in India. It is recognised for its market-leading people policies, continuous investment in learning career opportunities across technology areas and industry domains, and a deep-rooted commitment to a culture of equality.

Briefing the media, Ministers Ranendra Pratap Swain and Sudam Marandi and Chief Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena said total 16 proposals from 13 departments were approved in the Cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

The ministers said in order to ensure hassle-free and smooth implementation of this KALIA scheme and bring the farmers into the financial mainstream of the society, the Cabinet approved the budget.

The Cabinet also approved the proposal to change the release dates of KALIA assistance. The government had earlier decided to provide the financial assistance to the KALIA beneficiaries twice in a year before the cropping seasons. It was given from April 1 for Kharif season and from September 1 for Rabi season.

Besides, the Cabinet approved to provide Rs 2,000 as one-time additional financial support/assistance to eligible landless agricultural households under the scheme. The government is already paying Rs 12,500 in 3 instalments to take up livestock and horticultural crop-based activities to the beneficiaries.

Besides, amendment of the Odisha Semiconductor Manufacturing and Fabless Policy-2023 was approved to attract investors for setting up units to manufacture Semiconductor/EIectronic Chips and fabless design of the products.

Under the revised provisions, mega projects exceeding Rs 500 crore in investment can now effortlessly access an upper limit of Rs 25 crore per annum for a 7 years towards interest subsidy, as the previous 5% capping for interest
subvention has been eliminated. Additionally, such mega projects are entitled to reimbursement of R&D expenditures upto Rs 2 crore annually for 10 years.

As for the Production Linked Incentive (PLI), all units are now eligible to apply for the incentive for a continuous period of 5 years within the 7-year period following the commencement of production. In terms of skill development, eligible units will receive reimbursement of upto Rs 2 crore per annum for 5 years to facilitate the
training of their employees engaged in core operations.

Following are other major proposals approved by the Cabinet:

>>Development of Ro-Pax Jetty and allied infrastructures project connecting Kaninali in Bhadrak district and
Talachua in Kendrapada district under Sagarmala Programme with a cost of Rs 146.39 crore

>>The budget for Nua-O, a youth empowerment initiative, revised to Rs 315 crore

>>Amendment of the Odisha Sub-ordinate Finance Service (Commercial Tax Branch) Recruitment and Conditions of Service Rules,1988.

>>The prescribed syllabus for the departmental examination required to be passed by the Assistant Commercial Tax and GST Officers will be amended to incorporate “The Odisha Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 and rules made thereunder” in order to enhance the working knowledge of the officers under the GST regime.

>>The nomenclature of “Commissioner of Commercial Taxes and GST, Odisha” is proposed to be amended to “Chief Commissioner of Commercial Taxes and GST, Odisha” (if in the rank of Principal Secretary to Government).
Extension of grant-in-aid at revised scale in line with 7th Pay Commission to institutions for eligible employees covered under Odisha (Non-Government Colleges, Junior Colleges and Higher Secondary Schools) Grant-in-Aid in the shape of Block Grant Order, 2014. It will have additional annual financial implication of Rs 27.37 crore.

>>Recently released Hindi movies “12th Fail” made entertainment tax free

>>Allotment to 515 eligible displaced families of East Pakistan and Burma Repatriates with DP Tenements free of cost, upto 4 tenements per family. These displaced persons have settled at Sunabeda in Koraput district from 1964. Now they will have a permanent title and ownership over the land and structures existing over such land.

Principal Secy, PR & DW & Excise Sushil Kumar Lohani, Principal Secy Arabinda Kumar Padhee, Secy, Aswathi S, Secy Arabinda Agrawal were also present at the press meet.