Odisha to set up integrated unit for utilising DMF funds

With the collection of about Rs 4,000 crore under the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) Trusts till January this year, the Odisha government has decided to set up an Integrated Project Monitoring Unit for its proper utilisation.
The DMF was constituted to utilise the penalty collected from miners for excess mining on the improvement of social infrastructure in mineral-bearing districts of the state.
The decision to set up the unit was taken at a state level monitoring and review meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary A P Padhi yesterday.
The unit will facilitate coordination in field level work and information and technology management, the chief secretary said.

"It will also inform the authorities about various technical know-how and best practices", he said.
The chief secretary said that the DMF website would be made more transactional.

The GIS maps of the projects, being implemented utilising the DMF funds, would be placed on this website and extension and renewal of the website should be completed by March this year, the chief secretary said.
Planning and Convergence Special Secretary Debendra Kumar Jena said that the state government has sanctioned projects worth Rs 2,400 crore in various districts as on January this year.
While Keonjhar district has been given Rs 983 crore, Sundargarh and Jharsuguda districts have received Rs 621 crore and Rs 270 crore respectively.

Jajpur and Angul districts share during this period stood at Rs 200 crore and Rs 151 crore respectively, Jena said.
It was decided to utilise the DMF funds in developing infrastructure, provide piped water supply, build pucca roads, enhance skill development and create new job opportunities in the areas affected by mining operations.