BHUBANESWAR: The State Government will formulate a special legislation making it mandatory for industries to take an active part in the all-round development of the periphery areas.
A decision to this effect was taken at a high-level meeting presided over by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here today. Industrial and corporate houses will be legally-bound, after the passing of the legislation in the Assembly, to develop health, education and other infrastructure in the periphery areas. The Revenue and Disaster Management Department will make detailed provisions for proposed legislation.
Companies are now taking part in periphery development as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR). But this has not fulfilled the State Government’s aim of setting up industries as there is no legal provision.
Besides, it was decided to draw up fresh guidelines to enable the rehabilitation and peripheral development advisory committees (RPDACs) to properly monitor periphery development work of the companies. The RPDACs can now direct the industries for different developmental work in the periphery areas.
It was also decided to formulate a separate set of guidelines on the utilisation of special development fund (SDF). This special fund has been created with 5 per cent of the mining royalty earned by the State Government.
Among others, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Surjya Narayan Patra, Industries Minister Raghunath Mohanty, Chief Secretary TK Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Bijay Kumar Patnaik, and senior officials from the Industries, Law, Steel and Mines, Energy and Planning Coordination departments were present.