The State Government has provided Rs 79 crore to the State Road Safety Fund during the last three years.
Commerce and Transport Minister Nrusingha Charan Sahu informed this to mediapersons after attending his Department’s review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here on Wednesday.
Sahu said the Biju Gaon Gadi Yojana has covered 6,689 gram panchayats so far. As many as 95 OSRTC buses are running 73 routes in lWE districts. Further, 100 buses have been procured by OSRTC to strengthen the fleet, he said.
The Minister said 24 districts have been connected with rail lines. Of the rest six, Kendrapada district would be connected by June 2019. The State Government is providing land free of cost and financial support in order to have rail connectivity in the rest five districts as soon as possible.
He said second-phase expansion of the Dhamra Port is under progress and, when completed, it would handle cargo of 334 MMT. Regarding Gopalpur Port, he said renovation and expansion works are being undertaken at a cost of Rs 1,400 crore, which would be completed by June 2019..
He said the ‘Saheed Baji Rout Naujatra Suraksha
Yojana’ has been implemented to provide life support to boat travellers.
In order to ensure seamless flow of vehicles, all border check gates have been abolished in the State, he said. He said while a Heavy Motor Vehicle Driving Training Institute has been established at Chhatia in Jajpur district, two such institutions are under construction stage at Keonjhar and Brahmapur.
The Minister said the department’s revenue collection in 2017-18 has been increased to Rs 1,544.59 crore against the target of Rs 1,350.00 crore. To grant driving licenses and fitness certificates, automatic driving testing track and inspection and certification centres would be established in all districts, he said.