BHUBANESWAR: The Cabinet on Wednesday approved a proposal to enhance the daily sitting allowance of the Speaker, Deputy Speaker and members of the Council of Ministers from Rs 150 to Rs 800 with retrospective effect from January 1, 2017. Though the daily allowance of the members of the Assembly had been raised from Rs 800 to Rs 1500 from January 1, 2017, that of the Speaker, Deputy Speaker and members of the Council of Ministers had remained at Rs 150 since 1995.
Besides, the Cabinet also approved a proposal for formation of ‘Biju Yuva Vahini’ under the Biju Yuva Sashaktikaran Yojana which envisages nurturing young leadership and volunteerism, promoting culture of sports and sportsmanship, healthy living among youths, establishing vibrant youth connect platforms and engaging with youth across the State.The Biju Yuva Vahini will have nearly 8000 members to cover youths across 6800 panchayats and 113 urban local bodies (ULBs). Youths in the age group of 15 to 35 can apply to join the Vahini. The total membership in one Vahini will be around 25 youths.
The Cabinet approved framing of Odisha Civil Defence Group A and Group B Officers (Method of recruitment and condition of service) Rules, 2018 to regulate the service condition of civil defence officers, including their recruitment. The Civil Defence Act, 1968 is a Central legislation which has no provision to frame rules relating to method of recruitment and conditions of service of different category of posts. Civil Defence is now functioning in Bhubaneswar, Talcher, Rourkela, Paradip and Koraput. Civil Defence will function in seven more districts, Ganjam, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Balasore and Dhenkanal.
The Cabinet decided to remit stamp duty charge for small investors from whom an indemnity bond duly stamped is to be obtained for receiving money deposited by them. A small depositor now can submit the indemnity bond in plain paper without payment of any price towards stamp duty.Besides, the Cabinet approved construction of a 3.139 km-long bridge over Mahanadi at Gopinathpur connecting Singhanathpitha and Baideswar in Cuttack district. The Cabinet approved the lowest tender of SP Singla Construction Private Limited for construction of the bridge at Rs 110.47 crore.