Odisha to carry out development activities in 145 more mining-affected villages

The Odisha government has included additional 145 mining-affected villages for carrying out developmental activities from funds available under the Odisha Mineral Bearing Areas Development Corporation (OMBADC), said an official on Thursday.

The government is implementing housing, skill development and drinking water schemes in these villages. Though initially 523 villages in the mining areas were covered under the funds, additional 145 villages were identified taking the total to 668 villages in 29 blocks of 8 districts under coverage of the fund, said the official

This was discussed at the Board of Directors meeting of the OMBADC held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary A.P. Padhi here on Thursday.

Reviewing the progress of the scheme, Padhi asked the respective departments to follow saturation model in addressing housing and drinking water needs in these villages, and prioritise household connection of pipe water in those villages.

Panchyati Raj sScretary Deo Ranjan Singh said around 26,409 families in these 668 villages of Angul, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Jharsuguda, Kendujhar, Koraput, Mayurbhanj and Sundargarh have been identified to be covered under Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana in the first phase.

Each family would get an assistance of Rs 1.2 lakh in plain areas and Rs 1.3 lakh in hilly areas for construction of houses. As of now, 18,538 families have been provided the first instalment and 5,346 have been given the second instalment of assistance for construction of houses, said a release.

So far, 219 houses have been completed and the rest were in various stages of completion, it added.

Rural Development Secretary Madhusudan Padhi said the tendering process for drinking water supply projects has been initiated and it would be expeditiously completed within the scheduled time.

SC and ST Development Secretary Surendra Kumar said skill development training for ST and SC youths have also been taken up under the fund and about Rs 2.4 crore have been provided to the department for the purpose.

--IANS

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