Proposal for holistic development Gopabandhu’s birthplace Suando approved by Heritage Cabinet
Bhubaneswar (Kalinga Voice): The state Government has taken a decision For the holistic development of Utkal Mani Pandit Gopabandhu’s birthplace Suando through a project involving a budget of approximately Rs. 11.5 Crore. Such a proposal has been approved by the state Heritage Cabinet held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik informed minister, Tourism, Odia Language, Literature, and Culture Sri Jyoti Prakash Panigrahi.
Minister Sri Panigrahi, Chief Secretary Sri Asit Tripathy, and Principal Secretary, Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment Department Dr. Saurabh Garg briefed the media regarding important proposals passed in the three Cabinet Meeting. Chief Minister Sri Naveen Patnaik presided over the meetings of Heritage Cabinet, Agriculture Cabinet, and State Cabinet today. The major decisions taken by the Cabinet are highlighted below:
Heritage Cabinet
The government of Odisha has recognized Odissi as a classical form of music during 2008. This form of music is very ancient and has a sastric basis among Indian classical music forms. So a resolution has been passed to request the Government of India to accord Odissi music classical status while Odissi Dance has been already recognized as classical by the Government of India since 1964.
It is proposed to create a separate and Autonomous Directorate and a post of Director for the proper functioning of Odisha State Archaeology and its activities to preserve the architectural heritage consisting of ancient temples, stupas, sculptures, and other ancient treasures.
The Odisha State Museum has fifteen important sub-departments and it also has the district museums functioning under it. Apart from these, Odisha State Museum also has the responsibility of maintaining and managing Ananda Bhavan Museum at Cuttack and Jayadeba Museum at Kendubilva. Therefore, it has been proposed and approved to create a separate autonomous Directorate for the Odisha State Museum and create the post of a Director for the same.
It has been decided to develop Odisha State Museum into a Virtual entry with digitization. A similar model will be followed for Ananda Bhavan Museum which memorializes Biju Patnaik.
It has been decided to increase the financial amount being given by Department of Odia Language, Literature and Culture to the selected artists in various cultural fields. To recognize the importance being given to awardees, the amounts for the Atibadi Jagannath Das Samman, Kabi Samrat Upendra Bhanja Samman, Dharmapada Samman, and Byasakabi Fakir Mohan Samman would be increased from Rs. 1 Lakh to Rs. 5 Lakh. Similarly, the amounts for awards of the various Academics shall be increased from Rs. 50,000/- to Rs. 2 Lakh and the amount of felicitations of the various Academics shall be increased to Rs. 1 Lakh.
A proposal has been approved to fill up all the existing vacancies in the various academies, institutions and various centers of the Department of Odia Language, Literature and Culture through a transparent process of widely publicized advertisements. If needed, the posts shall also be filled through the nomination process.
Holistic development of Suando , the birthplace of UtkalMani
State Cabinet
Odisha Universities Act 1989 shall be amended and the Syndicate of the Universities shall be restructured for smooth academic and administrative
functioning.
The committee for selection of Vice-Chancellor of a University shall be reconstituted by including a nominee of the State Government (An Academician) in place of the selected member by the Syndicate.
The tenure of Vice-Chancellors shall be enhanced to 4 years with the upper age limit of 67 years and there shall be no provision for re appointment.
The State Government has decided to amend the Odisha Advocates’ Welfare Fund Act, 1987 to permit utilization of the Advocates’ Welfare Fund for payment of financial assistance to needy advocates to tide over financial crisis due to disruption of the legal profession on account of natural calamity, pandemic, and similar situation.
Agriculture Cabinet
Farm credit amounting to Rs. 9964.47 Crores has been disbursed by the
financial institutions benefiting 21 Lakh farmers. 14.08 Lakh farmers have
been enrolled for crop insurance coverage.
In Covid situation, the livelihood interventions for Agriculture and Farmer’s Empowerment Department and Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Department are worked out where 24,99,850 nos of farmers would be benefitted with an outlay of Rs. 373.958 Crores. Till now, 8,15,793 farmers have been benefitted.
The target of Balaram Scheme is to form 1 Lakh Joint Liability Groups
covering at least 5 Lakh farmers mainly from among those who are share
croppers using ATMA (Agricultural Technology Management Agency) the platform of the Department of Agriculture & Farmer’s Empowerment over the next 3 years.
A total target of 5 Lakh farm ponds in 5 years (2019-20 to 2023-24) has been fixed for this purpose. During 2019-20, 8900 no. of farm ponds were
completed generating 36 Lakh person days with an expenditure of Rs. 107
Crore, under MGNREGA. During 2020-21, the target is fixed for execution of
1,03,770 nos. of farm ponds which would generate around 4.51 Crore person-days with an outlay of Rs. 1,038 Crores.
