The State Government on Wednesday decided to hike domestic power tariff hike by four to five per cent with the Cabinet approving a proposal to this effect.
The Cabinet approved the proposal to amend the Odisha Electricity Duty Act, 1961. As decided, the electricity duty for domestic consumers has been raised from 4 to 5 per cent and one per cent for industries. Duty on captive power plants has been raised by 30 paise per unit, Chief Secretary GC Pati told reporters after the Cabinet meeting.
Besides, the Cabinet approved a proposal to revive the problem-ridden Sardar Rajas Medical College at Jaring in Kalahandi district.
The MoU signed with the Selvam Educational and Charitable Trust for setting up of the medical college in 2004 would be scrapped and a fresh one would be signed with a new company for revival of the institution, Chief Secretary GC Pati told mediapersons after the Cabinet meeting.
He said existing students of the medical college would be relocated to private medical colleges in Bhubaneswar.
The decision assumes significance in the wake of the Medical Council of India (MCI) declining approval/permission to the medical college on the ground that it lacks necessary infrastructure.
After the MCI denial, the fate of 124 students who had taken admissions at the college as well as that of the 300-bed hospital attached to it had been pushed into uncertainties. People of Kalahandi have been demanding takeover of the college by the Government and they had too observed a 48-hour bandh call supported by all political parties in the last month.
The Selvam Educational and Charitable Trust had been given Rs 10 crore by the Western Odisha Development Council (WODC) to set up the medical college. The Government had provided 25 acres of land free of cost.
The Cabinet also approved the Food and Procurement Policy to extend online payment system for Kharif paddy procurement to 160 blocks, Pati said.
This apart, the Cabinet endorsed a proposal to put cadres of tribal school teachers run by SC and ST Department at par with that of teachers of schools run by the School and Mass Education Department.