Fiscal, Power Reforms Top Priority In Orissa Govt Action Plan

The budget session of Orissa assembly today opened with governor MM Rajendran setting the agenda for the government's action plan for the coming year which had reforms as the top priority.

The reforms programme will be pursued relentlessly while providing it a human face, the governor said.

He said, the government had initiated a comprehensive fiscal and governance reforms programme to overcome the severe financial crisis the state was passing through. This is aimed at increasing revenue and reducing expenditure in non-productive sector.

"We have achieved significant success in our revenue raising efforts and the total amount collected till end December 2002 is Rs 2463.89 crore which is 23.15 per cent higher than the corresponding period in the previous year.", the governor said in his customary address to the assembly.

Stating that the reforms in the power sector will continue, Rajendran said, all necessary steps will be taken to remove the constraints in this regard.

The Grid Corporation of Orissa (Gridco) and the distribution companies had taken upgradation of transformers and installation of new transmission and distribution lines with a World Bank loan which had now been extended upto January 31, 2004.

Besides, steps were being taken by Gridco to avail long term loan from Power Finance Corporation to make payment towards current dues shortfall of National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and to avoid curtailment of Central assistance to the state, he informed.

The government, he said, was committed to ensure electrification of all villages by March 2007.

Stating that the government was keen to promote steel and metallurgical industries in the private sector, he said, several large mineral based industries including steel, aluminium and mining were likely to come up in Orissa.

Work on a major alumina refinery project involving an investment of about Rs 2500 cr was in the pipeline, he said, adding it will be set up at Lanjigarh in Kalahandi district.

Similarly, the government had already signed a memorandum of understanding on May 15,2002 with Bhusan Group for establishment of a steel plant at Lapanga in Sambalpur district.

The governor's address, however, was marred by total chaos in the House as the entire opposition staged a noisy walkout alleging that the address was prepared by a "corrupt and inefficient government".

The JMM, Janata Dal (S), CPI and CPM members walked out of the House followed by the Congress MLAs.