Bhubaneswar: The State Cabinet Wednesday enhanced the penalty for violation of Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 up to Rs 1 lakh.
To ensure strict observance of guidelines for containing the spread of the disease and break human-to-human transmission, it is necessary to enhance the penalty amount as provided in the Epidemic Diseases Act, said Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy.
In order to regulate the non-compliance of mask use, spitting at public places, violation of social distancing norms and other rules provided in the Odisha Covid-19 Regulations 2020, the fine has been enhanced upto `1 lakh, he said.
Now, under Section 3 of the Epidemic Diseases Act, a violator can get imprisonment for a term which may extend up to two years or with fine which may extend upto `1 lakh or both.
Since the Assembly is not in session, the Cabinet decided to bring necessary amendment to the Act through Ordinance route.
Proposal for establishment of State Health Assurance Society (SHAS) has also been approved by the Cabinet. The society will look after management of claims of empanelled private hospitals under Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY), Biju Krushak Kalyan Yojana, Odisha State Treatment Fund (OSTF).
Further, the Cabinet has approved a proposal for providing government guarantee of `1,500 crore for the loans already availed by GRIDCO during FY 2019-20. Such guarantee will enable the GRIDCO to get about 2 per cent interest concession from the banks.
The Industrial Policy Resolutions 2007 and 2015 were amended to provide various fiscal and non-fiscal incentives to industrial units. The VAT, Entry Tax and Entertainment Tax were replaced with GST.
Definition of downstream industries under IPR 2015 has also been amended suitably so as to remove ambiguity in determining eligibility of various incentives under the policy.
Similarly, the government has decided to scrap interview or viva-voce test for recruitment to Group C posts in the state cadre and district cadre. Odisha Revenue Service (Recruitment) Rules 2011 was also amended.