The State Planning Board has not met even once in last ten years. But in 2017, funds of Rs 1.07 crore have been earmarked for the board. This was ascertained from the reply of Planning and Convergence Department Minister Usha Devi to a question by BJP MlA Dilip Ray in the Assembly on Thursday.
But the Minister did not give a reply to another question why the board’s meeting has not been held and when the next meeting is scheduled.
The Minister said the last meeting of the board was held on October 10, 2007. A proposal for reorganisation of the board is being considered by the Government, for which Rs 105 lakh has been sanctioned. While Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is the board’s Chairman, its Vice-Chairman Bishnu Charan Das is getting pay and allowances at par with a Cabinet Minister.
The board’s only Member Ramachandra Panda and Advisor RN Das are getting salary and allowances at par with a Minister of State. Board OSD Sujit Kumar, who has Special Secretary status, gets a monthly remuneration of Rs 37,400 to Rs 67,000 along with grade pay of Rs 10,000, informed the Minister.