CM Naveen Patnaik lauds Sudarsan Pattnaik for his performances at the Global stage [Business Standard]

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Monday congratulated sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik for winning prizes at the World Cup of Sand Sculpting 2014 held in Atlantic City in the US.

"In the field of sand art, Sudarsan is a renowned name," the chief minister said in a statement here.

"He has won many prizes internationally for his magical art and creativity. With this success, he has been able to get recognition for Odisha's art and culture throughout the world. I wish him good luck to achieve more success in future."

In a separate statement, Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Jual Oram said Sudarsan was the first Indian to win prizes at the World Cup of Sand Sculpting.

"It is with great joy and pride I extend my congratulations to him. We are proud of his achievement," he said.

The 37-year-old Pattnaik, a native of the beach town of Puri, about 55 km from state capital Bhubaneswar, was the lone participant from India during the June 15-29 competition in Atlantic City which was attended by artists from several countries.

He won the People's Choice prize in the solo category for his sand sculpture "Save Tree, Save the Future".

He also won a medal and $4,400 in the doubles category for creating a sculpture of the Taj Mahal with an American artist.

Pattnaik is a recipient of the Padma Shri award and has participated in over 50 international sand sculpture championships and festivals.

Odisha signs MoU worth Rs 2,000-cr with Inland Waterway Authority of India for development of National Waterways-5 [Odishatv]

In a bid to put in place an economical and environment-friendly transport system in the state, the Odisha government today signed an MoU with Inland Waterway Authority of India for development of National Waterways-5.

“Odisha will provide land free of cost and all possible support to fast track the project. The project is expected to be completed in three years, that is by June 2017,” Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said.The project cost is estimated at Rs 2,000 crore.

The proposed waterway on river Brahmani and the Mahanadi delta will link the industrial area of Kalinganagar, housing a number of steel plants including Tata Steel’s upcoming 3 mtpa plant. The waterway will connect two ports at Paradip and Dhamra.

“Kalinganagar is likely to produce 5 mtpa steel and Talcher area to generate about 20 million tonnes of coal if all the coal blocks become operational. This waterway will help transport the industrial products,” said Santosh Mohapatra, the chief of Dhamra Port Company Limited.

The first phase of 201 km connects Jokadia and Pankapal (Kalinganagar) to Dhamra and Paradip. “The second phase is to extend to Talcher,” said Sudhanshu Sekhar Mishra, Chairman Paradip Port Trust.The second phase of 131 km will thus connect Talcher to Kalinganagar.

The MoU was signed between Inland Waterway Authority Chairman Amitabh Verma, state Commerce and Transport Secretary G Mathivathanan, Paradip Port Trust Chairman Sudhanshu Mishra and Dhamra Port CEO Santosh Mohapatra at the state Secretariat here in the presence of the Chief Minister.

The Prestigious Doon International School launches its third branch in the state capital of Bhubaneswar [Odisha Diary]

The Dehradun-headquartered Doon International School (DIS), a co-educational institute, launched its third centre and the first in the Eastern India on Sunday here. 

Bhubaneswar is the third DIS branch after Dehradun and Mohali. It  has a campus spread over 1.55 lakh sq ft of land at Sijua near the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). 

Like its parent school, this branch is well equipped to cater to the needs of students from all parts of the world. 

“Doon International School, Bhubaneswar sets a benchmark in a technology-oriented education. It is truly is of international standard as students study in this school hail from different countries of the world,” said Chetan Bhagat, eminent writer. 

DIS (Dehradun) chairman DS Mann informed that about 200 students have been enrolled starting from pre-standard up to Standard-VIII in the DIS, Bhubaneswar.

Naveen Patnaik launches Pink Auto Service for women commuters in the state capital [The Indian Express]

A ‘Pink Auto’ service for women commuters was launched in the state capital by Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday with 200 going on the roads.

After examining about 300 auto-rickshaw drivers in the city, about 200 drivers were found eligible to drive the special pink coloured three-wheeler with ‘Pink Auto’ inscribed on them, a senior police official said.

A trained psychologist examined the drivers with 220 of them appearing for tests. The exercise was carried out to eliminate those having ‘criminal minds’, the official said.

“The criminal intents and leanings of drivers were studied during the tests,” he said.

Stating that safety and security of women was a major component of women’s empowerment in the state, Patnaik said “The police need to take prompt action when a woman lodges complaint as their safety and security is the commitment of the state government,” Patnaik said.

The Pink Auto Service would boost the morale of the working women, he said.

While about 4 lakh girls were trained in self-defence techniques last year and this year Rs six crore had been kept for the purpose, he added.

BJD leaders AU Singhdeo and Bhupinder Singh elected to Rajya Sabha unopposed [Odisha Diary]

Senior BJD leader A U Singhdeo and former Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh elected to Upper House unopposed. This was informed by the Election Commission official. 

It should be noted that A U Singhdeo and Bhupinder Singh filed nominations on Monday for the two vacant Rajya Sabha seats from Odisha, which were vacated by former Upper House members Shashi Bhushan Behera and Rabi Narayan Mohaptra. Both Behera and Mohapatra are now MLAs in Odisha Assembly. 

Earlier AU Singhdeo was elected to the Rajya Sabha this year, but he did not take oath in the Upper House and contested the Assembly polls from Bolangir seat. But he lost to Congress candidate Narasingha Mishra, who is now the Leader of Opposition in Odisha Assembly. 

While Singhdeo filed his nomination for the seat vacated by Mohapatra, who was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2012 and had nearly four years of his term left, Bhupinder Singh filed papers for the seat vacated by Behera, who was elected in 2010 and had two years of his term left. 

BJD president and chief minister Naveen Patnaik, parliamentary affairs minister Bikram Keshari Arukh and other senior leaders of the ruling BJD were present during the filing of nominations.

State Cabinet gives the Nod for Second Airport at Jharsuguda [The Indian Express]

The State Cabinet on Wednesday approved a proposal to upgrade the  Jharsuguda air strip into a full-fledged airport, which will benefit the people of western Odisha as well as the industries coming up in the mineral rich Sundargarh district.

The Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik decided to hand over around 296.50 acre of land in two phases for upgradation of the airport. It is estimated that around `210 crore will be spent for the upgradation. The Government has already agreed to AAI’s request to provide `75 crore initially.

While around 118.75 acres, including 51.81 acres of government land, will be handed over in first phase without any premium, around 177.75 acres of land will be given in the second phase, Chief Secretary JK Mohapatra told reporters. While the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has already given its nod for flight operation from the Jharsuguda airport, the State Government will sign a MoU with AAI for upgradation of the airport. The draft MoU has been approved by the Cabinet.

Odisha raises retirement age of its employees to 60 [Business Standard]

The state government today raised the retirement age of its employees to 60 from 58 presently, fulfilling a long-standing demand. The move will benefit around 500,000 state government employees.

The decision to raise the retirement age was taken at a meeting of the state cabinet chaired by chief minister Naveen Patnaik. Recently, the state government had announced a raise in retirement age of doctors engaged with the government hospitals and also doctors in three state run medical colleges from 60 to 62. The hike in the retirement age was ratified by the cabinet.

In another significant decision, the government gave its nod for developing a full-fledged airport at Jharsuguda. The state government will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for this purpose.

“We already had several rounds of discussions with the AAI for developing a full-fledged airport at Jharsuguda. In the first phase, 118.75 acres will be handed over to AAI,” said chief secretary J K Mohapatra after the cabinet meeting.

The development of the Jharsuguda airport is estimated to cost Rs 210 crore in the first phase out of which the state government will contribute Rs 75 crore.

The cabinet also decided to bring physiotherapy and occupational therapy under the ambit of health department from the department of women & child development department earlier.

Odisha to give jobs to 40,000 youths in various departments in the coming 6 months [Odisha Channel]

Odisha government will give employment to 40,000 youths in various Departments within a period of six months, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said on Tuesday.

Patnaik issued the direction after discussing about vacancies in different government at a high level meeting at the State Secretariat. The process of should be completed within a period of six months, he ordered.

According to an official release, the rules with regard to giving employment had been amended and an Empowered Committee headed by Additional Chief Secretary of the Finance Department had been set up to ensure the necessary approvals from the Department of Finance.

The different government departments having vacancies should consult the Empowered Committee for filling up the vacant posts.

The new recruitment will include for post of doctors, engineers, paramedical staff, police officer and personnel, and various vacancies in departments such as Agriculture, Revenue and Disaster Management, Women and Child Development, Section Officers in the State Secretariat, Fisheries and Animal Resources Development, and Cooperation.

Orissa govt brings down SEBC quota limit to 11.25% [The Indian Express]

To break the stalemate over the reservation ceiling for Socially and Educationally Backward (SEBC) candidates, the Naveen Patnaik government on Tuesday brought down the SEBC reservation limit from the proposed 27 per cent to 11.25 per cent in government jobs as an interim measure.

In February 2009, the Naveen Patnaik government had enacted the Odisha Reservation of Posts and Services for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Act proving a reservation of 27 per cent of the posts in government jobs subject to exclusion of creamy layer.

In Orissa government jobs, SC candidates have 16.25 per cent reservation while STs have 22.5 per cent quota.

In 2011, during the recruitment of 800 assistant section officers the State home department decided to reserve 27 per cent of posts for SEBC candidates as per the new law.

An applicant had then challenged the Act before the Orissa Administrative Tribunal arguing that the advertisement was illegal as the reservation couldn’t exceed the ceiling of 50 per cent as laid down by the SC.

The 27 per cent quota for SEBC candidates would have taken the reservation ceiling to 65.25 per cent.

The OAT Bench in its December 2013 judgment quashed the Act and asked the Orissa government to modify the advertisement to the extent that reservation of posts would not exceed the ceiling.

The tribunal order had put the ASO recruitment in limbo as also many other recruitments being conducted by other government departments.

Unable to find a way out, the state government on Tuesday decided to limit the SEBC reservation percentage to 11.25 per cent till a final verdict is given by the Orissa High Court.

The home department resolution said the 11.25 per cent reservation would be an interim measure.

The High Court also directed the State to furnish quantifiable data in respect of SEBC in State services.

CM Naveen Patnaik appoints Special Officer to manage Rath Jatra festival [Zee News]

With the controversy over the prevailing practice of climbing the chariots of Lord Jagannath by devotees during the Rath Jatra intensifying, Odisha government on Tuesday appointed senior bureaucrat Suresh Chandra Mohapatra as the Special Officer to manage the festival.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik approved appointment of Mohapatra as the special officer. Mohapatra, the Secretary of Water Resources department, was earlier the chief administrator of the Sri Jagannath Temple Administration, besides working as the Puri district collector for some time.

The state government decided to stop the practice (climbing on chariots) following a recent Orissa High Court judgment which supported Shankaracharya Nischalananda Saraswati's recommendation. The Puri seer had earlier said that climbing on chariots and touching the deities was a sin and against the Hindu religion.

The Daitapati priests, who play a vital role during the Rath Jatra, however, opposed the Shankaracharya's decision and were in favour of allowing the devotees to climb the chariots. Puri King Divyasingha Deb also supported Shankaracharya's views on the controversial issue of putting a ban on the practice.

After expressing their resentment against the government's decision at the coordination committee meeting attended by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on June 22, Daitapati priests today did not visit the palace of Puri King Divyasingha Deb in protest.

As per the rituals, the Daitapati priests used to visit the palace on this day.

"Our Nijog (association) decided not to visit the palace today," said Vidyapati Nabakishore Dasmohapatra.

Meanwhile, civil and police administration in Puri have prepared a road map for proper implementation of Shankaracharya's decision to ban pilgrims' access to chariots during Rath Jatra, official sources said.

The temple administration has formed a six-member committee to select persons, who will be allowed to climb the chariots to perform their duties while the police have decided to cordon off the chariots soon after they reach their destination, sources said.

Adequate number of police personnel would be deployed to keep the chariots out of bounds to pilgrims at Gundicha Temple. There is a proposal to keep the chariots under the surveillance of CCTV cameras to ensure that nobody violates the state government's 'ban', sources said.

BJD leaders AU Singhdeo and Bhupinder Singh to file nomination papers today for RS by-polls [Odisha Diary]

Ruling Biju Janta Dal leader AU Singhdeo, Bhupinder Singh to file nomination papers today for Rajya Sabha by-polls . 

Earlier BJD Chief Naveen Patnaik named senior BJD leader AU Singhdeo and former Congress leader and new BJD entrant Bhupinder Singh as party candidates for the two vacant Rajya Sabha seats. 

AU Singhdeo was elected to the Rajya Sabha ahead of the general elections but had to quit and contest the Bolangir Assembly seat, which he finally lost. Nomination Filing of Rajya Sabha polls will commence from June 23 and shall continue till June 26. The vote counting shall be carried on the same date of polls on July 3.

CM Naveen Patnaik reviews 'Rath Jatra' preparations [Post Jagran]

"Basic facilities for devotees and their safety and security were given due importance at the review meeting," the Chief Minister told reporters after the meeting.
    
"I hope the Rath Jatra will be held in a smooth manner with the cooperation of all including the Sevayats," Patnaik said.
    
The meeting discussed issues relating to health, sanitation, communication, electricity, drainage system and security, official sources said adding matters relating to construction of chariots for the June 29 car festival also figured during the discussion.
    
Law Minister Arun Sahu, Sri Jagannath temple chief administrator Arvind Padhee, Puri MP & MLA, district collector and representatives of servitors' association attended the meeting.
    
Senior officials of tourism, health, supply and energy departments were also present.
    
In view of Orissa High Court's verdict on the issue of devotees climbing the chariots and touching the idols, it was decided to hold another meeting soon to finalise a list of people who would be allowed to stay atop the chariots during the rituals, the sources said.

CII delegation meets CM Naveen Patnaik, assures support to the state [Odisha Diary]

A delegation of the Confederation of Indian Industry meets Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. The team led by its state Council Chairman Ansuman Das congratulated CM Patnaik for his party’s emphatic victory in the recently concluded elections.

The team apprised the Chief Minister that the CII would continue to work closely with the BJD Government and assured to extend its full support to the new Government. The CII also highlighted some key sectors that need to be focused for the growth of the State. Sectors like mining, agriculture, education and infrastructure were focused during the discussion in the meeting.

Among others, Gupta Power Infrastructure MD MK Gupta, Dhamra Port CEO Santosh Mahapatra and Radiant Telesystems MD JB Pany were present.

A delegation of the Confederation of Indian Industry meets Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. The team led by its state Council Chairman Ansuman Das congratulated CM Patnaik for his party’s emphatic victory in the recently concluded elections.

The team apprised the Chief Minister that the CII would continue to work closely with the BJD Government and assured to extend its full support to the new Government. The CII also highlighted some key sectors that need to be focused for the growth of the State. Sectors like mining, agriculture, education and infrastructure were focused during the discussion in the meeting.

Among others, Gupta Power Infrastructure MD MK Gupta, Dhamra Port CEO Santosh Mahapatra and Radiant Telesystems MD JB Pany were present.

- See more at: http://www.orissadiary.com/CurrentNews.asp?id=50973#sthash.dzdjZjUH.dpuf

CM stresses on beefing up security for upcoming Car Festival [Business Standard]

All efforts should be made to ensure safety and security of pilgrims as well as citizen of Puri during the Car Festival, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said today in the co-ordination committee meeting organised for the upcoming festival at Puri.

As per a decision taken in the high-level meeting attended by police DG, Prakash Mishra, steps have been taken to engage 115 platoons of police force, anti-terrorist squad and special branch police to verify guests at hotels during the nine-day long festival.

This apart, it has been decided to install CCTV cameras on the Grand Road and deploy more number of lifeguards near the beach area.

"Special care has been taken to beef up security as per the threat perceptions issued by the Government of India. We will make the arrangements in a proper way so that everybody can enjoy the festival," Mishra told reporters after the meeting.

National Intelligence Bureau earlier this year had said that terrorists might target Puri Car Festival as it attracts nearly a million people. Since then, the state government has made efforts to declare the temple area of Puri as a no-flying zone.

Besides security arrangement, the chief minister discussed issues relating to health and sanitation, communication, traffic control, supply of electricity and drinking water and smooth during the festival, popularly known as Rath Yatra, on June 29.

It was also decided that the high court ruling banning climbing of devotees on the chariots will be implemented with letter and spirit. Patnaik sought the cooperation of the servitors (sebayats) to conduct the Car Festival smoothly.

"If we observe it with discipline it will enhance our prestige in the international community and for that, we need cooperation from sebayat group. I am sure the festival will be celebrated successfully with the cooperation of all concerns including the sebayats," he said. The issue of allowing devotees to climb the chariots and touch the idols during Car Festival had snowballed into a major constitutional crisis as the state government interfered in the decision of Puri Sankaracharya and partially relaxed the instruction issued by him to ban the practice perpetrated by Daitapatis, a class of servitors of the Puri temple.

Recently Puri King Divya Singh Dev, who is also the chairman of Puri temple managing committee, said non-compliance of Shankaracharya's opinion to disallow climbing of devotees on the chariots and touch deities would violate provisions of the Sri Jagannath Temple Act as well as infringe upon the constitutional guarantee of religion freedom enshrined in Article 25 and 26.

CM Naveen Patnaik inaugurates Puri-Bhubaneswar AC city bus service [Odisha Diary]

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today inaugurates air-conditioned (AC) city bus service  between Puri-Bhubaneswar at Puri. 

Earlier in March 3 Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the much-awaited air-conditioned (AC) city bus services run by the Bhubaneswar-Puri Transport Corporation Limited (BPTCL) in the twin city and Puri.

Patnaik flagged off 12 AC buses named as Red Line Bus Service. Dream Team Sahara (DTS) CEO Sudhanshu Jena said four AC buses will ply inside the city between Nandankanan-Airport route, while four each will connect Bhubaneswar and Cuttack with Puri. 

The AC buses were procured from a Lucknow based manufacturer with a cost of `40 lakh each. These red coloured busses were fitted with LED displays, CCTV, LCD display, sophisticated operating systems, automatic gear and latest electronic preventive circuits. The unique feature of these buses is the automatic warning system. 

A sensor controlled gadget has been fitted at the dash board. If any untoward incident occurred during passenger boarding or departure the sensor will immediately alert the driver, who then stop the bus. According to BPTCL sources, passengers will have to pay a little more for enjoying the cool ride. The fare for first three kilo meters has been fixed for `16 and then `2 for each kilometer.   

At present, 125 non-air-conditioned buses plying on various routes in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Puri.

BJD names Candidates for Rajya Sabha by-polls... Mr. AU Singh Deo and Mr. Bhupinder Singh get the nod. [Zee News]

Odisha's ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Saturday named its candidates for the Rajya Sabha by-elections for two seats from the state.

BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced that former minister AU Singhdeo and Bhupinder Singh will be the party candidates for the July 3 elections.

The by-polls were necessitated following the election of party leaders Sashi Bhushan Behera and Rabinarayan Mohapatra to the state Assembly.

The BJD is set to retain both the seats on its own strength.

CM Naveen Patnaik felicitates sprinter Dutee Chand [Odisha Diary]

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik felicitated State sprinter Dutee Chand here on Thursday, for her outstanding performance in the Junior Asian Athletic meet at ChineseTaipei. As the cash incentives she received Rs 1.5 lakhs and CM gave another Rs 1.5 lakhs for her outstanding performance in the Asian meet.

Dutee Chand clocked 23.74sec to take the gold medal in the 200m sprint to emerge as India’s new sprint queen. The limelight also fell on the Dutee in the junior women 4X400m relay team who grabbed the top spot with a timing of 3:40:53. The quartet comprising of Dutee Chand, VV Jisha, Jessy Joseph and GK Vijaya Kumari romped home, ahead of the Thai team and the hosts, who finished second and third respectively.

Odisha government presents Rs 80,139 cr budget [The Financial Express]

Focusing on infrastructure growth and welfare schemes, Odisha government today presented a Rs 80,139.58 crore budget for 2014-15 with plans to raise taxes on liquor, petrol and diesel to augment revenues.

"The total expenditure proposed in the budget estimates for 2014-15 including debt repayment is Rs 80,139.58 crore," Finance Minister Pradip Kumar Amat said in his maiden budget speech in the Assembly.

Non-plan expenditure was estimated at Rs 40,711.01 crore with an increase of 7.30 per cent over the budget estimates of 2013-14, Amat said.

Similarly, the state plan, central plan and centrally sponsored plan expenditure were estimated at Rs 38,810 crore, Rs 609.42 crore and Rs 9.15 crore respectively, totalling Rs 39,428.57 crore, showing an increase of about Rs 72 per cent over the revised outlay for last year, he said.

Stating that the budgeted expenditure would be financed through estimated revenue receipts of Rs 67,146.96 crore, recovery of loans and advances of Rs 240.29 crore and borrowing and other receipts of Rs 12,752.32 crore, Amat said revenue surplus would be of the order of Rs 4265.55 crore.

To boost farm sector, the finance minister presented a separate budget for agriculture raising the outlay for the department under plan and non-plan areas from Rs 1823.77 crore in 2013-14 to Rs 2727.99 crore in 2014-15, registering an increase of about 50 per cent.

The non-plan outlay for agriculture was enhanced from Rs 426.53 crore in 2013-14 to Rs 493.07 crore this year, he said adding the plan outlay which was Rs 1397.24 crore in 2013-14 has been enhanced to Rs 2234.92 crore keeping in view the government's commitment to farmers.

The government sought to intensify and consolidate the efforts already made in areas of irrigation, provision of quality seed and planting material, insurance and extension activities in the agriculture sector to accelerate the pace of socio-economic development of farmers, Amat said.

Listing steps to augment revenues, the finance minister said the budget proposed to raise the tax rate on liquor from 20 per cent to 25 per cent and also to restore tax rate on petrol and diesel from 18 per cent to 20 per cent.

Stating that hike of tax on foreign liquor is based on the premise of ability to pay, he said the empowered committee of state finance ministers have recommended minimum tax rate of 20 per cent on petrol and diesel.

"Further, the price of petrol and diesel in our state being lower than the prevailing

Kishore Mohanty appointed as the Chairperson of Western Odisha Development Council [Odisha Diary]

Senior BJD leader and former speaker of the state assembly Kishore Mohanty appointed as chairperson of Western Odisha Development Council (WODC).  

It should be noted that on Monday Padmini Shekhar Deo resigned from the chairperson of Western Odisha Development Council (WODC). Appointed in October 2011 as the WODC chief Deo had two more years of her term left.  Deo stated she quit her post on advice of BJD president and chief minister Naveen Patnaik.   

The 65-year-old Deo is the Queen of the Sundergarh royal family and is also the former chairperson of the Mahila Vikas Samavaya Nigam (State Women Development Cooperative Corporation). Deo joined the Janata Dal under the leadership of late Biju Patnaik and became the chairperson of the Sundergarh NAC in 1992. Later, she was given a Janata Dal ticket to contest Assembly elections in 1995, which she lost.

Odisha budget for FY 2014-15 to be placed today [Sun Times]

The budget is expected to be of the order of Rs 80, 000 crore, Rs 4, 000 crore more than the Rs 76, 000 projected in the vote-on-account passed in the 14th Assembly on February 7.

The Odisha budget for the 2014-2015 financial year will be placed in the state Assembly by Finance minister Pradip Amat this evening.

Sources said the higher budget allocation is aimed at generating the required resources for fulfillment of the number of promises the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) had made in its poll manifesto.

The promises that would need the maximum resource allocation are conversion of all kutcha houses in the state to pucca ones, conversion of all dirt roads into concrete roads and food security and health insurance for all.

But the scope for raising additional resources to fund these schemes is limited. In the event, just about the only option available to the Finance minister is to raise excise duty on items like Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL) and paan masala and higher VAT on motor vehicles.

CM unveils measures to boost agriculture... An warehousing act and cold storage facilities on a PPP mode on the cards [Times Of India]

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday told assembly that a comprehensive warehousing act will be legislated to create storage infrastructure at the panchayat level and cold storage facilities shall be established on a PPP mode at the block level. 

Replying to a debate on Governior S C Jamir's customary address on the maiden day of the budget session, Naveen said, "To streamline the post-harvest management, we shall ensure, in all procurement districts mandis, concrete drying platforms and threshing floors for every 5000 population." 

Highlighting the government's initiatives in the agriculture and allied sector, he said a second agriculture university will be established in KBK region to augment manpower needs for the agriculture sector. "We will exempt tax on trolleys attached to tractors," he said. 

Pointing out that the total cultivable area of the state is 61 lakh hectare, he said this 28 lakh hectare have been irrigated from all sources which represents about 45 percent of the total cultivable area. "We envision to create an additional irrigation potential for 10 lakh hectare in the next five years," he said, adding, "We will make available high quality seeds, fertilizers, pesticides insecticides and required agricultural technical extensive services to our farmers. On a mission mode, all defunct lift irrigation points which are feasible shall be restored and operationalized. Seed replacement ratio will be increased substantially and our endeavour will be to transfer all subsidies and financial assistance directly to the bank account of individual farmers in coming days." 

"We shall take all possible steps to convert 'Katcha' houses into 'Pucca' houses in a phased manner by providing suitable financial assistance," he said. He further said, "We shall fulfil in a time-bound manner the primary infrastructure needs in areas of road communication, drinking water, electrification, irrigation, agriculture and education in both rural and urban areas of the State. Lack of access to infrastructure shall not become a barrier to growth and development of Odisha."

Special focus shall be given to all-round development of girls and other vulnerable groups, he informed. "With a view to easing the unemployment situation, the State Government will set up Chief Ministers' Employment Generation Scheme," he said. Recruitment in the government in all fields would be scaled up and local talent will be encouraged, he added. An 'Innovation Fund' shall be created to incubate new business ideas coming from young entrepreneurs, he further said. 

Stating that women empowerment is an instrument of good governance, he said to scale up interventions in that direction the government will formulate a 'holistic women policy' shortly. 

A new rural connectivity scheme called 'Chief Minister Sadak Yojana' will be launched.