BHUBANESWAR: Eight new projects worth around `2,800 crore have been sanctioned from Odisha Mineral Bearing Area Development Corporation (OMBADC) funds for nine mineral bearing districts of the State. Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi approved these projects while charing the Board of Directors meeting of the corporation held here on Friday.
Reviewing the progress of projects sanctioned earlier, Padhi directed the Collectors concerned to complete housing projects before August 15. He asked the Odisha State Pollution Control Board to monitor water and air pollution levels in mining areas. The departments were also advised to take up projects for pollution containment.
The newly-sanctioned projects include skill development training to youths belonging to ST, SC, OBC and minority communities, horticulture activities, mega lift irrigation projects and strengthening Adarsha Vidyalayas in all nine districts. Besides, 12 mega lift irrigation projects for Keonjhar district, check dam with lift irrigation in five districts, construction of road over bridges (ROBs) at Jharsuguda, Keonjhar and Sundargarh, construction of road and bridges to establish the missing link of connectivity in mining areas were approved.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the corporation Uma Nanduri said Angul, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Jharsuguda, Keonjhar, Koraput, Mayurbhanj, Rayagada and Sundargarh districts have been brought under the ambit of OMBDAC fund. Now, projects worth `3,517 crore are in different stages of implementation in these districts. With this approval, the total cost of the project sanctioned for these districts has come to `6,317 crore.