The State Government on Tuesday formed a corpus fund of `250 corre under the name Odisha Renewable Energy Development Fund for implementation of the State Renewable Energy Policy 2016, which covers solar, small hydro, wind, biomass and waste to energy sources.
The State Cabinet which met under chairmanship of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the State Secretariat approved the fund. The Government would provide `50 crore per annum over a period of five years. The fund will be utilised for development of transmission network, roads and training centres required for accelerated development of renewable energy for which guidelines would be issued soon.
The Cabinet gave its nod for implementation of the State Handloom Policy which is aimed at increasing handloom production by improving production chain management and induction of new looms.
The Cabinet too approved the Pharmaceutical Policy 2016 for implementation. The policy provides grants of 50 per cent of the total cost or ceiling of `10/5 crore whichever is less, for development of gree field phamceutical clusters and provides environmental protection infrastructure subsidy of 50 per cent.
The proposal to amend the Odisha Education (Tribunals) Rules, 1977 was approved by the Cabinet. After amendment , Government Advocates would be able to get copies of memorandum/petition in GIA cases.
The Cabinet gave its nod for formulation of the Odisha Sandalwood Possession and Transit Rules, 2016. The rules would strengthen the hands of forest officers to control threat and illegal felling of sandalwood.
The Food Processing Policy 2016 was also approved. It proposes to set up emga/State food parks at strategic locations in the districts of Deogarh, Bhadrak, Bargarh, Nabarangpur, Sambalpur, Ganjam, Balangir, Kandhamal and Kalahandi. The policy provides for capital investment subsidy of 25 per cent of the capital investment.
To accelerate growth of industries in the MSME sector, the Government approved the Odisha MSME Development Policy 2016. The policy will replace the existing MSME Development Policy 2009. As per the new policy, the capital investment subsidy to new micro and small enterprises has been enhanced from 10 per cent to 25 percent in plant and machinery subject to the upper limit of Rs 1 crore.
The Cabinet decided to incorporate some new rules in the Odisha Agricultural Produce Market Act 1956 to bring Odisha into the Nationa Agricultue Market (NAM) fold so that farmers can get better marketing facilities to sale their produces.
The Cabinet also approved the proposal for implementation of the Odisha Tourism Policy 2016 to place Odisha prominently on the domestic and international tourism map.
Besides, the State Government decided to replace the Orissa Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 2004 with a new set of rules called Odisha Mineral Concession Rules 2016. As per the new rules, minerals under Sairat sources such as sand morrum, stone quarries are proposed to be counued to be covered under Quarry leases.
Besides, the Cabinet also approved to frame a separate statutory rules fopr the officers of the Official language Branch of the law Department to expedite the process of recruitment to the base level posts and filling up of the higer posts and threby translation work would be done smoothly and expeditiously. After framing of such rules, language Officers posts would be filled up through the OPSC.
The Cabinet too approved the Odisha Apparel Policy 2016 for implementation.
A proposal of the Gridco for sanction of Government gurantee of `1,100 core was also approved by the Cabinet. The guarantee was approved in favour of the Gridco for term loans already availed to tide over the revenue deficit situation.