BHUBANESWAR: The State Government on Thursday decided to undertake key developmental activities in urban local bodies (ULBs) located in 9 districts affected by mining activities. Funds deposited the Odisha Mineral Bearing Area Development Corporation (OMBADC), a special purpose vehicle created by the State Government to carry out developmental activities in mineral bearing regions of the State, will be utilised to improve social infrastructure in the affected ULBs.Projects like drinking water, housing, sanitation, road communication, creation of new livelihood opportunities, skill enhancement, health services, reduction in maternal and infant mortality rate, development of natural environment, soil moisture conservation, enhancement of irrigation facilities will be taken up on priority under the fund.
Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi reviewed the progress of implementation of the projects sanctioned earlier for 691 villages of 30 blocks in 9 mineral bearing districts. He asked the Urban Development department to prepare projects for the affected ULBs.In August last year, the State Government had sanctioned projects worth `900 crore which include 29,829 housing units, 196 drinking water projects, 855 hectare block plantation, 842 km of avenue plantation, 3600 hectare of assisted natural regeneration and 9800 seedling plantation in towns of the mining affected areas.
“It was targeted to construct 29,829 housing units by May 2018. So far 29,640 beneficiaries have been given first installment for construction of their houses out of which 15,321 houses have been completed. It is expected that the balance houses will be completed within the scheduled time,” said OMBADC managing director Uma Nanduri.
Of the 244 drinking water projects sanctioned under OMBADC, 25 have been completed. Water source have been identified in 208 projects and 140 projects have been tendered out, she said. The meeting decided to cover 14 more villages under the programme. The Chief Secretary directed different departments to submit revised project proposals within 15 days.