BHUBANESWAR: THE Cabinet on Tuesday approved tender for water supply projects in four urban centres at a cost of `318.03 crore. A proposal to give contract for water supply projects in Baripada, Sambalpur, Rourkela and Jharsuguda to L1 bidder Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Limited, Hyderabad, was approved, said Chief Secretary AP Padhi.
The Chief Secretary said the Centre has already provided `21.51 crore for Baripada, `15.52 crore for Sambalpur, `30.82 crore for Rourkela and `12.78 crore for Jharsuguda aggregating to `80.64 crore for water supply projects.
The total population of the four towns is 13,92,842, Padhi said and added that while the water supply in Baripada is 26 litre per capita per day (LPCD), in Sambalpur it is 135 LPCD. The water supply in Rourkela is 97 LPCD while at Jharsuguda it is 23 LPCD, Padhi said and added that on completion of the project, per capita water supply in these towns will increase to 135 LPCD on an average, which is the national service standard.
The Chief Secretary said with the completion of the projects, 46 partially covered Wards and 14 uncovered Wards of these towns will be fully covered and there will be 24/7 water supply to all inhabitants catering the demand upto 2048.
The Cabinet approved promulgation of an ordinance for establishment of a Council of Higher Education in Odisha. The council will be headed by Minister for Higher Education while the vice-chairperson, an administrator in the rank of a professor will be appointed by the Government. Fifteen other members of the council will be vice-chancellors of different universities, two principals from autonomous colleges, scientists and educationists.
Selection of member, secretary and vice-chairperson of the council will be done through a search committee to be constituted by the State Government.
The Chief Secretary said the proposal to set up a medical college and teaching hospital with 100 seats at Keonjhar was approved. The funds for the project will be provided from district mineral fund (DMF), he said and added that Cabinet approved the lowest tender of Tata Projects Limited of `314.23 crore. The work has been targeted to be completed within two years without any price escalation, he said.
The Cabinet also decided that entrepreneurs will not be eligible for any subsidy for setting up rice hullers, rice mills, flour mills and pulse mills as these have been included in the list of ineligible enterprises. Besides, the Cabinet gave post facto approval to notifications already issued specifying different rates of tax and services, exemptions and refund of tax under the Odisha Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017.
Another meet today
Bhubaneswar: The State Cabinet would again meet on Wednesday even though in its Tuesday meeting 19 proposals were approved. Sources maintained that a proposal to take over some aided schools would be approved at the meeting. Besides, the Cabinet is also likely to approve a new welfare scheme.
Decisions taken
Water supply projects to come up in Baripada, Sambalpur, Rourkela and Jharsuguda and will meet needs of 13,92,842 people
Council of Higher Education will be headed by Minister for Higher Education
Proposal to set up a 100 seat medical college and teaching hospital at Keonjhar approved
Entrepreneurs will not be eligible for any subsidy for setting up rice hullers, rice mills, flour mills and pulse mills