3 New ITIs for Kandhamal

Original Track back URL

The State Government Thursday decided to facilitate setting up of three more Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in Kandhamal district which is limping back to normalcy from communal cauldron. The State-run Orissa Mining Corporation (OMC) and Orissa Hydro Power Corporation (OHPC) will be asked to set up two ITIs while the Government is contemplating to request Vedanta to set up the third one as part of its social responsibility for the State.

A high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today reviewed the Kandhamal situation and the progress achieved on the rehabilitation front.

The Chief Minister reportedly directed the Industries Department to take up the issue with OMC and OHPC for the proposed ITIs which should come up as early as possible. The Government will provide land free of cost. It has been decided to set up the proposed ITIs at the block headquarters of Tumudibandha, Baliguda and G Udaygiri.

At present, the only Government ITI is located at Phulbani while a privately managed Industrial Training Centre (ITC) is also functioning in the district. The Chief Minister also directed the Industries Department to convert the Phulbani ITI into a centre of excellence by pooling assistance from industrial and corporate houses. The meeting was informed that 2,274 houses were damaged in eight of the 12 blocks where door-to-door survey has been completed by the Panchayati Raj Department. The four blocks that have not been surveyed are Tumudibandha, Daringbadi, K.Nuagaon and Khajuariapada. Housing assistance will be provided after the survey is completed, the meeting was reportedly told.

While the Revenue Department has issued 12,000 gratuitous relief cards for distribution among the affected individuals and households, complaints of political interference during distribution have come to the notice of the administration.

Since sarpanches have been given the responsibility for distribution of GR cards, there are complaints that the cards are distributed on political consideration, the meeting was told.

Development Commissioner RN Bohidar and secretaries of Industries, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare, Energy, Rural Development, Revenue, Works and Panchayati Raj were present.