Chief Secretary AP Padhi on Wednesday stressed on proper utilisation of the Odisha Mineral Bearing Area Development Corporation (OMBADC) funds, a special purpose vehicle (SPV) created by the State Government.
Padhi, chairing OMBADC Board of Directors’ meeting at the State Secretariat here, Padhi directed the SPV to hold such meeting at least once every three months for monitoring the work. He stressed on the need for preparing project proposals on rural housing, drinking water, sanitation and farm-forestry.
Development Commissioner R Balakrishnan suggested the officials to implement OMBADC projects through proper coordination.
Rural Development Secretary Madhusudan Padhi said the process for construction of piped drinking water supply projects in mining affected 523 villages in eight districts has begun with `243 crore from OMBADC funds allocated and tender invited. The tender process would end by July 31.
The Government has decided to construct houses in 543 villages in the first phase. An amount of `1.20 lakh would be provided per house in plain areas and `1.25 lakh per house in hilly areas, said Panchayati Raj Secretary Deo Ranjan Kumar Singh.
Around 50,000 houses would be constructed in the mining affected villages. Houses would be distributed to landless families on priority basis. Each landless family will be provided 4 decimal homestead land under the Vasundhra Yojana. Project proposals for providing long-term training to 200 ST/SC children were approved at the meeting. Around 1.46 lakh will be spent for training per head.
A total of `24,40,000 will be provided from OMBADC funds and the ST and SC Development Department would bear remaining 30 per cent spending.
OMBADC General Manager Subash Chandra Swain said `150 crore for rural housing, `50 crore for water supply and `20 crore for farm forestry have been provided to the concerned departments.