BHUBANESWAR: The Supreme Court-appointed Oversight Authority on Thursday sanctioned projects worth around Rs 3,210 crore in five mineral bearing districts of the State.The projects sanctioned out of funds available in the Odisha Mineral Bearing Areas Development Corporation (OMBADC) were for mega water supply, health services, infrastructure, skill development, education and livelihood promotion.
The authority headed by Justice AK Patnaik approved mega piped-water supply scheme worth Rs 585.16 crore for six blocks of Sundargarh and Rs 1,531.39 crore for 13 blocks in Mayurbhanj district.
Sustainable livelihood programmes for sericulture farmers in Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Sundargarh, Jajpur and Dhenkanal district with a cost of Rs 82.29 crore, handicraft in Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Sundargarh, Jajpur and Dhenkanal districts with estimated cost of Rs 35.14 crore, strengthening the health services at sub-divisional hospitals, CHCs, PHCs and health sub-centres of Mayurbhanj with an estimated cost of Rs 47.25 crore were also approved.
The other projects included strengthening of infrastructural facilities in the Government Engineering College, Keonhjar (Rs 33.39 crore), opening of centres of excellence in Government ITI and Polytechnics in OMBADC areas (Rs 123.45 crore), optic fiber connectivity to 1,713 schools and health institutions (Rs 3 crore), skill and entrepreneurship development among farmers and youths in agriculture and allied sectors (Rs 146.92 crore).
Justice Patnaik expressed satisfaction over the quality and progress of the projects under implementation. He appreciated the remarkable efforts the State team in encountering the pandemic of Covid-19 and restarting the economic activities at a fast rate. Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy directed OMBADC to undertake an outcome assessment study of the projects through an independent third party.
Chief Executive Officer of OMBADC Uma Nanduri said around 38 projects worth Rs 14,330 crore in seven priority sectors were approved so far while Rs 2,844 crore has been released to the executing agencies.