Bhubaneswar: During his visit to Ganjam district, as per direction of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Chairman 5T, and Nabin Odisha Kartik Pandian Thursday reviewed the progress of a dam and major irrigation projects in the district. The projects reviewed by Pandian included the Pipalapanka Dam Project in Sorada block, Janivilly Barrage Project in Dharakote block, and Cheligada Irrigation Project in Digapahandi block. These projects, built at a cumulative cost of Rs 1,300 crore, would provide irrigation to a total ayacut area of 1,84,000 acres.
Later, Pandian participated in public grievance meetings at Bellaguntha, Dharakote, Kukudakhandi, and Patrapur. The Nabin Odisha Chairman informed about the decisions of the chief minister to increase social security pensions across all categories by Rs 500 each which would benefit around 58 lakh people. Pandian also appraised the gatherings of the chief minister’s decision to increase pensions under Mukhyamantri Kalakar Sahayata Yojana and Mukhyamantri Bunakar o Karigara Sahayata Yojana from Rs 1,200 to Rs 2,000. He also informed that financial assistance under MAMATA Yojana has been increased from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 which will further benefit women and infants towards improved nutrition and better health outcomes. For the benefit of undergraduate and postgraduate students studying in state universities, government and non-government aided colleges – including Sanskrit colleges and unaided colleges under the Higher Education department – Pandian informed about the Chief Minister’s move to provide Nua-O scholarships under which male and female students will get annual incentives of Rs 9,000, and Rs 10,000, respectively.
Similarly, students belonging to eligible SC/ST and Nirman Shramik families will get Rs 10,000 (male) and Rs 11,000 (female) per annum, he said adding that the scholarships for the current academic year will be deposited in the bank accounts of the eligible students from February 26 onwards.