The District Mineral Foundation (DMF) Trust Board Keonjhar has approved a proposal to provide Rs50 crore for setting up the proposed Government medical college here.
The second governing body meeting of the DMF held in the Collectorate here made a plan to spend Rs280 crore for various socio-economic development programmes in the district. The DMF had invited project proposals from different line departments which were discussed by the members.
The trust gave priorities to development projects relating to drinking water, environment protection, pollution control, health, education, sanitation, skill development, mother and childcare and employment generation in mining affected areas.
The trust approved Rs1.5 crore for building a skill development centre boys’ hostel near Bodapalasa and Rs1.6 crore for construction of a girls’ hostel there. Similarly, it approved at least 10 road proposals.
District Collector and DMF Chairman N Thirumalla Naik presided over the meeting. Notably, the mining companies and lessee are contributing 30 per cent of the royalty to the DMF, which would be used for socio-economic development of the district. By end of May, Rs280 crore had been deposited in the DMF while Rs150 crore is still pending for collection.
It has been decided that 70 per cent of the funds would be spent in the mining affected areas and the rest 30 per cent in non-mining areas.
A technical committee formed by the DMF would further inspect the proposals and give its recommendations to the governing body.
MP Sakuntal laguri, MlAs Abhiram Naik, Bedbyas Naik, Mayadhar Jena and Sanatan Mahakud, Zilla Parishad president Sarilata Prusty, ADM, DRDA PD and DDM were present.