Odisha cabinet okays proposal to bring limestone under long-term linkage policy

New Delhi: The Odisha cabinet has approved a proposal to bring limestone under the purview of the Long-Term Linkage (LTL) policy, in a bid to streamline its supply to the state's industries. These industries will henceforth be getting their lime stone supply through Odisha Mining Corporation Limited (OMC), Chief Secretary SC Mohapatra said on Thursday.

The proposal to bring limestone under the LTL policy was put forth by Industrial Development Corporation Of Odisha Limited, which has been merged with OMC, Mohapatra explained.

Maintaining that the move will enhance limestone production and ensure its optimum utilisation, Mohapatra said the state exchequer, in turn, will be benefited.

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The cabinet, during the day, also approved financial bids for the construction of 40 Lift Irrigation Schemes with intake points on different rivers in the districts of Keonjhar, Kalahandi, Bolangir, Bargarh, Gajpati, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Angul and Cuttack. These projects will be executed with an investment of Rs 1879.61 crore, including maintenance and operational costs.

It also approved a tender of Rs 201 crore for the construction of Integrated Barrage (in-stream storage structure) across rivers Kochila and Baitarani, spanning parts of the Bhadrak and Jajpur districts, said Mohapatra.

This storage structure will check floods in the Kochila river and rejuvenate Baitarani. It will also fulfil the drinking and domestic needs of a section of people in Bhadrak and Jajpur.

The chief secretary said that other important decisions taken by the cabinet included sanction of lease of five-acre government land free of premium for the establishment of Central Research Institute in Homeopathy (CIRH), another 50 acres for infrastructure development favour of Rajendra University, and 3.125 acres for the establishment of National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

Proposal for 15 percent reservation of seats in Government Physical Education Colleges for students in government sports hostels also received cabinet nod.

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