Bhubaneswar, October 29, 2013: Odisha Modernizing Economy, Governance and Administration ( OMEGA) makes headway in realization of its objectives of investment promotion, skill development, revenue enhancement , qualitative uptake of NREGS and qualitative improvement in public distribution system.
This has come to light in a high level review meeting held under Chairmanship of Chief Secretary Sri Jugal Kishore Mohapatra in Secretariat conference hall toady, wherein Additional Chief Secretary Finance Sri U.N.Behera outlined the issues for discussion. Chief Secretary has advised to increase citizen interface with treasuries and commercial tax offices through establishment of help desks in these offices. Sri Mohapatra has also directed MSME dept to intensify cluster development programmes of MSMEs in different identified areas and achieve visible progress during this year.
Review reveals that the programme has been in operation for last one and half a year. A number of long term out put targets and deliverables and been set to be achieved through the programme. One of the major objective is to enhancive PPP investment in the State. The initiatives taken through the project has led to increase of investment in PPP to Rs.23,835 cr against Rs.9.169 cr in 2010-11.
The projects like bulk water supply, residential schools and 2 new medical colleges at Gajpati and Rayagada have been taken up through the programme. One
Technical Assistant Supporting Team (TAST) has been formed to assist in road projects with worth of over Rs.3000 cr. Technical feasibility study has been started for road and bridge projects like Suakati-Dubuna road, capital region ring road, bridge over river Ib, 6 other road projects and 16 road over bridges.
A Core Road Network (CRN) of over 9000 kms of road has been analyzed for identification to be implemented through PPP. In the meanwhile, 33 road projects have already been identified to be added to PPP pipeline. The investment in MSME has been increased to Rs.237 cr in 2012-13 against Rs.200 cr in 2010-11. The automation system of EM-I and EMII has been completed to reduce the time taken for approval of the project proposals.
In skill development activities, 14 MOUs have been signed by Odisha State Employment Mission with accredited Project Implementing Agencies of National Skill Development Council; and, 18000 people have been trained in different trades under placement linked training programmes. Secretary MSME Sri Panchananan Das said that most of the activities for receiving and approving project proposals are now being done on line. Sri Das has proposed to take up entrepreneurship development programmes for unemployed youths who lack skill and capital.
The Development Commissioner Sri Injeti Srinivas added that the Dist level employment exchanges need to be strengthened and their scope should be enlarged to boost up entrepreneurship and employable skill development activities at grass root level. Target has been set to increase GSDP ratio by 1% from base line of 5.73 % in Financial Year 11-12 to 6.73% in financial year 2014-15. Chief Secretary has advised to redesign the tax structure mechanism of the State so as to enhance the revenue collection from different sources to achieve the target.
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For enhancing professionalism in transaction of governmental business, a special soft ware has been developed and implemented for online recruitment, management and monitoring of young professionals. A special software has been developed for implementation of Odisha Centralized Audit Management Portal for clearing up the load of audit pendency. The soft ware has been piloted in 3 departments like Health & Family Welfare, Commissioner Commercial Tax, and Panhyati Raj.
Observable progress has been made in PDS coverage of BPL households under PDS. The number of BPL households obtaining PDS allocations have been increased to 95% against the target of 86% during the current year.
PDS Implementation Improvement Action Plan ( IIAP) has been prepared and customized as per requirement. Automation of paddy procurement system and digitalization of beneficiary data base have been undertaken to increase people’s access to PDS. Pilot has been successfully done in Bargarh district. It has been decided to replicate in 3 districts of Bhadrak, Bolangir and Sonepur.
For improving Social audit in PDS a detailed guideline with specific questionnaire has been developed and has been successfully piloted in Keonjhar district. Process has been initiated to replicate the system in Ganjam, Keonjhar and Koraput districts.
Similarly, in MGNREGS, Refining Dashboard Monitoring System at District and Block level has been developed and it has been successfully piloted in Khudrda and Nayagarah districts. The reduction in distress migration across 11 blocks of Bolangir and Nuapada have been taken up by increasing availability of work under MGNRGES and NRLM ( National rural Livelihood Mission). About 1300 vulnerable families in this areas have been provided 100 days of work and they are now nearing towards completing 150 days of work.
Other interventions taken up in this direction are eco restoration of forest, nursery raising, grass land development, silvipasture, stone packing, rural sanitation, value addition to NTFP( Non-Timer Forest Produce), goat rearing etc. In Nuapada district, 72% of migrant failies have been given job assurance certificate for 150 days under MGNREGS.
The targets under OMEGA has been set up to July,2014. The major deliverables include automation of application under National Mission on Food Processing, development of 3 identified MSME clusters, engagement of industries as training partners in skill development, impact assessment of placement linked training programmes, regulatory reforms study for promotion of business environment in Odisha, strengthening of PPP cell, assisting different departments for identification and formulation of PPP projects, and creation of large PPP pile line in road projects.
The committee has approved the projects of around 17 crs submitted by departments like Panchayati raj, Food Supplies and Consumer welfare, Planning & Coordination and MSME for 2014. The Development Commissioner Sri Injeti Srininas, Secretary Panchayati Raj Sri Deoranjan Kumar Singh, Secretary Commerce & Transport Sri G. Mathivatthanan, Commissioner Commercial tax Sri Manoj Ahuja, Secretary ST & SC Development Sri Santosh Sadangi, MR Padma Kumar, Miss Renu Despande and Smt. Supriya Pattanaik of DFID along with their team members , representatives from Ernst & Young along with senior officials from Government participated in discussions.
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