CM Naveen Patnaik says "We are working to remove investment bottlenecks" [Business Standard]

Odisha has got an abundance of natural resources. Why has this abundance of natural resources not yet resulted in the kind of growth that Odisha has the potential of generating, and what in your view is that is coming in the way?

Yes, we are very rich in natural resources and we have received large investments in the past decade. With large investments, you often have problems like environment and rehabilitation issues. We are trying to sort those out, so that industries can come up in Odisha.

You mentioned investment bottlenecks, for example, about Posco and Vedanta. Is there any specific action plan that you have to overcome these bottlenecks?

The problems with those two companies will be sorted out. The prime minister has even spoken with the South Korean president to resolve the Posco issue expeditiously.

It is feared that some recent issues like the chit-fund scam and the problems that the mining sector has witnessed may vitiate the state's investment climate. How serious do you think are these issues?

Ever since we took office 15 years ago, we have tried to run a transparent government and taken strict action to quell such crimes. As far as the fiscal situation is concerned, when have come a long way from the ghastly situation in the year 2000. Today, we are a revenue-surplus state and financially much more stable.

You are one of the few Indian chief ministers in the country who had an uninterrupted run of three straight terms. You have achieved a lot in the past 14 years. Where do you see the state 20 years from now?

We have made rapid progress in sectors like irrigation, agriculture, and of course, infrastructure. Our anti-poverty programmes and pro-poor schemes for women and the tribal people have been successful. I do hope that Odisha is on course to become a very prosperous state in the future.

What kind of equation does the state share with the new Narendra Modi-led central government, and what possibilities does it hold for Odisha?

I hope the new central government will take constructive steps and meet Odisha's demands .

What about Odisha's demand for a special- category status?

That is our demand and we are working towards that.

PPPs to play key role in public service delivery, says CM Naveen Patnaik [Business Standard]

Aiming to make Odisha's multi-faceted schemes and programmes in different socio-economic sectors sustainable, the state government is betting big on the development of infrastructure through the private-public partnership (PPP) route.

"A key objective of my government now is to progressively address the huge task of achieving sustainable and inclusive economic growth and accelerating human development in the state. This places greater emphasis on upgradation and improvement of the infrastructure base in the state and efficient delivery of public services. We realise that infrastructure development alone would make our multi-faceted schemes and programmes in different socio-economic sectors sustainable, leading to greater growth multipliers," said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the Business Standard Odisha Round Table-2014.

He stressed that PPPs will play a pivotal role in the achievement of this vision. The state has targeted attracting investment of at least Rs 5,000 crore in the infrastructure sector through PPPs during the 12th Plan period. "We are well on track to achieve this target," said Patnaik.

Several initiatives have been undertaken in municipal corporations for solid waste management and street lighting through PPPs. Dedicated budgetary provisions have been made for viability-gap funding, which would catalyse the geographic spread of PPPs in Odisha, Patnaik said.

Understanding the need for road, rail and air connectivity, the state has lined up big investments in these critical infrastructure areas as well.

The Odisha State Highways Development Project has been launched for widening all state highways over a three-year period. The projects are being implemented through external assistance as well as PPPs.

The state government has been investing in special-purpose vehicles for faster execution of railway projects of economic importance. For better air connectivity, Biju Patnaik Airport has been upgraded to an international airport, while another airport at Jharsuguda is being developed with partial state funding.

Urban development has also found place in the state government's agenda of priority. The state is taking up projects to improve the urban transport system, sewerage, drainage, drinking water supply, sanitation and housing on a large scale.

To ensure uninterrupted power supply for the people of Odisha, the state government is investing heavily in the power infrastructure. It is implementing schemes like CAPEX in the power sector, and the installation of 550 33/11 KV sub-stations to improve the quality as well as quantity of power supply in the state. Besides, massive investments have been attracted from the private sector for setting up thermal power stations, he added.

Odisha, which has drawn considerable investment in the metals and mining sectors over the past decade, is now keen to attract investors to set up industries that can run without dependence on its rich mineral resources.

"We are endeavouring to diversify Odisha's investment base by focusing on sectors not dependent on natural resources, such as agribusiness, tourism and information technology. Extremely forward-looking policies are under formulation for the fishery and poultry sectors," Patnaik said.

He expressed the hope that once these policies were in place, they would attract large commercial investments in these sectors.

The series of reform measures in the industry, infrastructure, financial and social sectors over the past decade has resulted in rapid growth for the state during both the 10th and 11th five-year plan periods.

The remarkable fiscal turnaround achieved by the state over the past decade is an example for the whole country. The state could generate a sizeable fiscal space for increasing the plan and capital investment in essential sectors to bridge the developmental gaps, Patnaik observed.

The state believes that growth in agriculture can result in faster reduction in poverty. In order to provide focused attention to this sector, the state government introduced a separate Agriculture Budget from the year 2013-14, Patnaik added. n

Besides, the state has formulated the food processing policy, 2013 to attract investments in food parks and food processing units, he said.

CM Naveen Patnaik directs authorities to complete construction work of five new Government medical colleges [Odisha Diary]

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik directed the Health Department authorities to complete the construction work of five new Government medical colleges and hospital at Baleswar, Baripada, Puri, Koraput and Bolangir within the specified time frame and initiate the process of recruitment of doctors and paramedical staffs for these medical colleges.  

He also directed the concerned authorities to expedite infrastructure development of three existing Government medical colleges as per the guidelines of the Medical Council of India (MCI). A decision to this effect was taken at a high-level meeting held under chairmanship of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the State Secretariat on Wednesday. The meeting discussed about the infrastructure development of five new Government medical colleges and hospital and three existing Government medical colleges and hospitals at Cuttack, Brahmapur and Burla and appointment in the vacant posts in the Health Department. The Revenue Divisional Commissioners (RDCs) would remain in charge of administrators of three Government medical colleges and hospitals in the State to oversee health services.   

The Chief Minister also underscored the need for filling up the vacant posts in the Transplant unit of these medical colleges and distribution of free medicines to poor patients.Patnaik also directed the authorities to initiate disciplinary action against the errant doctors who have unauthorisedly gone on long leaves.Among others, Health and Family Welfare Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, Chief Secretary GC Pati and Development Commissioner AP Padhi were present.

CM Naveen Patnaik asks Party MPs to Raise State Issues in Parliament [Indian Express]

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday met party MPs in BJD office in Parliament and discussed issues of the State that can be raised in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

Naveen asked the MPs to raise major issues like development of railway network, coal block allocation, development of national highways and improvement of road network in Maoist affected areas in the State.

“We discussed the requirements of the party MPs and issues pertaining to the State,” the Chief Minister said after his return from a four-day visit to the national capital.

Leader of the BJD Parliamentary Party in the Lok Sabha Bhatruhari Mahatab said the Chief Minister also wanted to know from the MPs about the issues raised by them during the session. Naveen also apprised the MPs about his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu at New Delhi.

Mahatab said the Chief Minister underscored the need for more funds from the Centre for undertaking development work in the State. Naveen went to the Central Hall of the Parliament and greeted JD-U leader Sharad Yadav.

CM Naveen Patnaik says : Odisha to spend Rs 5,000 crore in IT sector in next 5 years [Niti Central]

Odisha would spend around Rs 5,000 crore on IT in the next five years to provide services through electronic mode and entire Bhubaneswar would be made a WiFi-enabled city, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said today.

“As per the ICT (information and communication technology) Policy, every department will now earmark two per cent of its annual plan budget or one per cent of its overall budget, whichever is higher for IT spending so as to provide services through electronic mode,” Patnaik said.

In the process, the state government would spend around Rs 5,000 crore from its budget in the next five years for IT or IT enabled services and ESDM (Electronic System Design and Manufacturing), he said, after inaugurating the new IT block of Tech Mahindra here.

BJD led Odisha Govt. cares for every Odia's health & safety. The Health & Family Welfare Dept. issues a Dos & Don'ts for Jaundice [Dharitri]

CM Naveen Patnaik says to the concerned Officers, "Take steps for speedy procurement of paddy" [Odisha Channel]

Taking note of media reports that thousands of farmers were facing a series of hurdles in selling their paddy, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday directed the officials concerned to take immediate measures for speedy procurement of paddy in the State.

Patnaik issued the direction after he chaired a meeting to review paddy procurement and snags in the online payment system at the paddy procurement centres in several districts at the State Secretariat here.

The Chief Minister directed the officials of the Food Supplies & Consumer Welfare Department to make immediate online payments to farmers for the paddy procured from them.

In the event of snags in the online system, Patnaik ordered that payments should be immediately done through cheques.

Media reports over the past few days indicated that farmers were not able to sale their paddy despite bringing their produce to the procurement centres even three weeks ago.

Odisha Government has fixed a target to procure 30 lakh tonnes of paddy during the current Kharif season and 17 lakh tonnes would be procured in the first phase.

According to official sources, while procurement is in progress in full swing in the districts such as Bargarh, Sambalpur, Balangir, Rayagada and Keonjhar, the process has started in Kalahandi, Subarnapur, Boudh and Mayurbhanj.

The procurement of paddy will start in the districts of Khurda, Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur in January.

The farmers in most parts of Odisha are expecting a good harvest of paddy this season, but the government’s failure to procure their produce has left them distressed.

While the State Civil Supplies Corporation had procured only 1.72 lakh tonnes of paddy till Friday, no other agency had started procurement of paddy so far, according to an official release issued by the Chief Minister’s Office.

At many places the rice mills owners were not extending their cooperation thereby putting the government agencies in great difficulty in procuring paddy.

While directing government officials to make surprise visit to procurement centre, the Chief Minister has ordered that action be taken against the erring rice mill owners.