Projects worth Rs 900 crore have been sanctioned under the Odisha Mineral Bearing Area Development Corporation (OMBADC) for key developmental activities in the mining-affected areas in eight districts.
It was revealed at a review meeting held by Chief Secretary AP Padhi at the Secretariat here on Friday. Steel and Mines Principal Secretary Raj Kumar Sharma outlined the issues for discussion. OMBADC CEO Subash Chandra Swain presented the updates.
Padhi asked the department to provide houses to the houseless and improve living conditions in the mining affected areas. The Panchyati Raj Department was directed to undertake a detail survey of the homestead landless persons and prepare a project for construction of houses for them through convergence with other programmes like Basundhara.
Projects like Pucca houses along with toilets, drinking water, road connectivity, sanitation and afforestation activities on saturation mode were prioritised in the meeting.
It was revealed that 691 villages under 129 GPs of 30 blocks in eight districts have been identified for inclusion under the OMBADC fund. The districts are Angul, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Jharsuguda, Kendujhar, Koraput, Mayurbhanj and Sundargarh. So far, the Corporation has got a fund of around Rs 1000 crore. As of now, the projects of worth Rs 900 fund have been approved for these villages. The projects include 29,829 housing units and 217 drinking water projects, farm and social forestry in 1938 hectares and avenue plantation along 535 km roads.