On May 29 2023, the Odisha Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister (CM) Naveen Patnaik approved 18 important proposals, including the new ‘Mo Ghara’ Scheme, (Government Housing Assistance in Rural Area)’.
About Mo Ghara Scheme:
Aim:
The scheme aims to provide financial assistance to meet the aspiration of the lower and lower-middle-income households of rural Odisha.
Implementing Agency: ‘Mo Ghara’ will be implemented through the Panchayati Raj (PR) and Drinking Water Department, Government of Odisha.
Features:
i. The scheme will cover all such families previously excluded from housing schemes due to stringent eligibility criteria or insufficient allocation and also those who had received smaller housing assistance in the past and now wish to expand their houses.
ii. The financial implication of the ‘Mo Ghara’ scheme for approximately 4 lakh beneficiaries is expected to be Rs.2150 crore over a period of two years.
iii. The scheme is a credit-linked housing programme with capital subsidy fully funded from the State Budget.
Benefits:
i. Under this scheme, a beneficiary can avail housing loan of up to Rs. 3 lakh which can be repaid in 10 years excluding 1 year moratorium period in easy instal
ii. Scheduled caste(SC), scheduled tribe(ST), or a person with disabilities (PwD) will get up to Rs 40,000 financial assistance for every Rs 1 lakh loan to build or expand their house while others can get up to Rs 30,000 financial assistance.
Eligibility:
i.The beneficiary should be living in a kutcha house or one pucca room with RCC roof and the monthly income of the family should not be more than Rs 25,000.
ii. They should not have availed of any government housing scheme of more than Rs.70,000.
iii. The monthly family income should be below Rs. 25,000.
iv. The family should not own a non-commercial motorized four-wheeler for personal use.
v. The family should not include a regular government/Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) employee or pensioner.
vi. The family owns less than 5 acres of irrigated land or less than 15 acres of non-irrigated land.
Konark Temple Complex:
i. The Cabinet decided to develop the Konark Temple Complex as a part of the Konark Heritage Area Development Project (KHADP) under the Integrated Development of Heritage & Monuments and Tourist Destination Scheme on a turnkey basis.
- Around Rs 209 crore will be spent for the development of the Complex.
ii. It will transform the physical infrastructure in and around the temple complex and upgrade the visitors’ experience.
Other approved Schemes:
i. The Odisha Cabinet also approved the establishment and incorporation of a University as an affiliate university in the name of “Odisha University of Health Sciences”, this University aims to achieve excellence in the field of Medical and Allied Health Education and Research.
ii. Cabinet approved a proposal to implement an institutional development plan with an outlay of Rs 2,000 crore for the transformation of Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology (VSSUT), Burla, Odisha.
iii. Amendment of Odisha (Non-Government Colleges, Junior Colleges and Higher Secondary Schools) Grant-In-Aid Order, 2008.
iv. Cadre restructuring of Women and Child Development Department and creation of new posts.
v. Remission of Stamp Duty and Registration fee on lease deed of Ac. 02.00 dec land in Mouza-Chandihata in the district of Khordha (Odisha), to be executed in favour of Shri Shankar Cancer Centre and Research Institute at Bhubaneswar.
vi. Amendment of the Odisha Consolidation of Holdings and Prevention of Fragmentation of Land Act, 1972 (Odisha Act 21 of 1972).
Odisha for AI, and AI for Youth’ initiative:
The Artificial Intelligence (AI), a technology-driven transformation, which is one of the key components of the Odisha Government’s 5-T (Team work, Technology, Transparency, Transformation and Time limit) initiative for Higher Education Department, to ensure better service delivery to the public in the Higher Education sector.
Features:
i.The initiative will increase the digital literacy of the masses and make them familiar with the next-generation cutting-edge technology.
ii. It will also create an ecosystem fostering research, innovation, and application across sectors.
iii. The Odisha Government has tied in with Intel, an International technology company for the first phase of the initiative.
- Odisha for AI is a free 4-hour course on AI by Intel on its app/site will be open to all for free in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, and Puri and soon will be open to all in Odisha subsequently.
Eligibility:
AI for youth is eligible for students (below 18) of 2000 5T schools of phase 1 and Odisha Adarsh Vidyalayas.
About Odisha:
Chief Minister– Naveen Patnaik
Governor– Ganeshi Lal
Dance– Ghumura Dance and Ranapa Dance (Folk type)
