Bhubaneswar, September 21: Several projects worth Rs 640.55 crore have been approved under the Odisha Mineral Bearing Areas Development Corporation (OMBADC).
The projects were approved in the sectors of the development of the secondary schools, environmental monitoring and sports development in urban local bodies (ULBs) of the mineral bearing districts.
These approvals were accorded in the Board of Directors meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra in on digital mode from Lokseba Bhawan wherein OMBADC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Uma Nanduri presented the necessity and expected outcome of the projects for discussion.
Giving nod to the projects, the Chief Secretary directed to provide global level education and exposure to the students under secondary school development programme.
Mohapatra said since the smart class room, e-library, science lab, ICT lab would be developed through the new project, the teachers must focus on providing best education to the students with global exposure.
Such facilities, Mahapatra said, should enable our children to compete with any one at national and global level. He also emphasized on development of the play ground and joyful ambiance and a learning eco-system. CEO Smt Nanduri appraised that a total number of 889 secondary schools in the districts of Angul, Dhenkanal, Deogarh, Jajpur, Jharsuguda, Mayurbhaj and Sundargarh districts were included under the project with estimated amount of Rs 533.40 crore.
The proposal for development of multipurpose indoor stadiums estimated at a total of Rs 104.15 crore for eleven ULBs in mining affected districts were also sanctioned in the meeting. These included nine municipalities namely Belpahar, Brajrajnagar, Anandpur, Barbil, Birmitrapur, Rajganjpur, Rourkela and Vyasnagar Municipality; and, two NACs namely Champua and Joda. The facility would nurture and promote sports talents in these ULBs and their adjacent areas.
Chief Secretary Malohapatra directed to make best use of the facilities for nurturing and promotion of the sports talents in mining districts.
The project on application of ICT and data science for development of the environmental information system in the mining areas of Odisha estimated at Rs 3.10 crore was also sanctioned in the meeting. The project envisages development of a comprehensive data base on periodic environmental data collected from mines through different statutory returns, clearances and compliances.
CEO Smut Mandarin appraised that the data generated should be used in curtailing of pollution and decision-making activities regarding mining operation.
Development Commissioner Praveen Kumar Jena, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Saris Kumar Ratio, Principal Secretary Finance Vishal Kumar Dev, Principal Secretary School and Mass Education Satyabrata Sahu, Member Secretary Odisha Pollution Control Board Dr K. Murugesan, Secretary Sports and youth affairs, Vineel Krishna along with other members of the board of directors participated in the discussions.
