BHUBANESWAR: THE Odisha government has decided to fast track implementation of the Augmentation of Basic Amenities and Development of Heritage and Architecture (ABADHA) scheme at Puri amid the Covid-19 pandemic by approving a tender of Rs 461.25 crore for execution of different projects.A proposal to this effect was approved at the meeting of the State Cabinet held on Thursday. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik presided over the meeting through video conference from Naveen Nivas.
The Cabinet approved the lowest negotiated turnkey tender of Kolkata based NCC Limited in this regard for construction of the Jagannath Ballav Pilgrim Centre, market complex and Shree Setu along with the extension of Musa river at Puri. The work is targeted for completion within a period of 30 months.
The Cabinet also approved another proposal to alienate government and acquired/purchased land for ‘Heritage Security Corridor around Shri Jagannath Temple at Puri’ in favour of Shri Jagannath Temple Managing Committee free of premium, incidental charges, annual ground rent and cess and to correct the RoR in the name of Shri Jagannath, Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy told mediapersons.
GRIDCO, the State-owned bulk power supplier got a guarantee cover of Rs 2,600 crore from the State Government to borrow from the market in 2020-21 as revenue from sale of power to distribution companies as approved by the Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) was not adequate to meet the power purchase and financial costs. The Chief Secretary said that unless Gridco pays the power dues in time to the generators such as the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), the generators will curtail supply leading to load shedding.
Stating that such guarantee will enable GRIDCO to get about two per cent interest concession from the banks, the Chief Secretary said this will reduce the financial cost of GRIDCO and in turn the retail tariff for industries, MSMEs and general consumers will be lower.
The Cabinet also approved the Food and Procurement Policy for 2020-21 kharif marketing season (KMS), which has started from October 1, 2020 and will conclude on September 30, 2021, by fixing a tentative target for procurement of 48 lakh metric tonne of rice. In terms of paddy, this will come to around 71 lakh metric tonne including 54 lakh metric tonne for kharif and 17 lakh metric tonne for rabi. However, there is no bar for procurement of any higher quantum if more paddy comes to mandis from registered farmers.
The Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister has been authorised to revise the target if the need arises. In 2019-20 KMS, 70.56 lakh metric tonne of paddy was procured (both kharif and rabi included.
