Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has observed that the Department for International Development (DFID) has been instrumental in ensuring fiscal stabilisation in the State through public sector programmes. 

At a meeting with the new Head of DFID, Gavin McGillivray, on Wednesday, the Chief Minister appreciated the role of the international development organisation.

Chief Secretary AP Padhi, Development Commissioner R Balakrishnan, Chief Minister’s Principal Secretary Rajesh Verma, Finance Secretary Tuhin Kanta Pandey and a host of Principal Secretaries and Secretaries were present during the interaction.

Patnaik stated that the DFID has supported interventions in the health, education and livelihood sectors and these have been quite productive.

He said the Odisha Modernising Economy, Government and Administration (OMEGA) has been successfully implemented in the State with improved public service delivery.

Priority areas like urban infrastructure and services, water, energy, skill development, climate resource strategies and governance reforms were discussed during Patnaik’s meeting with McGillivray.

The Chief Minister said the focus of both State Government and DFID would be to ensure better cooperation and coordination to maximise the outcomes of these initiatives.

On his part, McGillivray appreciated the efforts of the State Government in several key sectors and expressed willingness to take the partnership forward in the priority areas to be identified mutually.

The DFID is now supporting the State with technical assistance on various fronts while it has stopped direct funding of projects which was earlier done.

One of such initiatives is Climate Change Initiative, which has been taken up by the State Government with Odisha leading from the front in the country, said officials.