The State Cabinet on Wednesday approved the proposal of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department for regularisation of services of officers of the Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) appointed on ad hoc basis.
The State Government had recruited 187 OAS officers selected by the Selection Board from 1994 to 1996. While services of 157 OAS officers were regularised on recommendation of the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC), the remaining 30 officers continued on ad hoc basis.
These affected officers had gone to the Odisha Administrative Tribunal, Cuttack and the Tribunal had ordered the State Government for their regularisation. Meanwhile, 21 ad hoc OAS officers have retired while two died. The remaining seven OAS officers are still working on ad hoc basis.
With the regularisation of services of the ad hoc OAS officers from the date of joining, they will get consequential service benefits.
The Cabinet presided by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik also approved the proposal of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department for waiver of stamp duty on agricultural term loan upto ` 10 lakh.
The issue was discussed at the state-level bankers committee (SLBC) meeting where it was recommended to the State Government to remit or reduce stamp duty under Indian Stamp Act, 1899 for loans on agricultural purpose.
However, the stamp duty of two percent will be charged on agricultural term loans above ` 10 lakh.
The proposal of the Health and Family Welfare Department for renaming of the Directorate of Indian Medicines and Homoeopathy, Odisha as Directorate of AYUSH was also approved by the Cabinet.
The Energy Department proposal for formation of joint venture company with central and state PSUs for improving inter-state infrastructure system was also okayed by the cabinet.
The proposal of the Law department for formulation of rules for the officers and employees of Odisha Human Rights Commission was also approved.