Odisha Cabinet approves hike in salaries of contractual employees

Bureau,Odishabarta

Bhubaneswar: Ahead of Durga Puja, Naveen Patnaik Government has decided to hike the salaries of all contractual employees by 50 per cent, said Law Minister Pratap Jena. The contractual employees will now be called ‘Initial Appointees’ and their existing remuneration will be increased by 50 per cent from the first year of appointment till regularisation of their services, Jena added. Their appointments would be made permanent after six years, he said.
The employees will receive medical reimbursement benefits. All the contractual employees of Group B, C and D categories will be benefited from the decision, the Minister said.

The Odisha Cabinet has decided to make necessary amendments to the Contractual Appointment Rules, 2013. The State Government will bear an additional expenditure of nearly Rs 250 crore every year towards the enhanced remuneration of such employees, Jena added.

Three tenders for six-mega drinking water projects worth Rs 1,282.01 crore under Jal Jeevan Mission (JMM) were approved by Odisha Cabinet on Monday, Jena said, who is also the Minister for Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water. The projects would be implemented in the districts of Ganjam, Rayagada, Boudh and Kandhamal. All six projects are targeted for completion within 24 months, he added.

Two rural piped water supply projects worth Rs 325.75 crore have been approved for 86 Gram Panchayats of Ganjam district, another two projects of Rs 657.57 crore approved for 71 Gram Panchayats in Boudh and Kandhamal districts. Besides, two drinking water supply projects will be executed in 28 Gram Panchayats of Rayagada district at a cost of Rs 298.69 crore.

Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra said the Odisha Cabinet has approved the Food and Procurement Policy for Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2021-22, which will start from October 1, 2021 and end on September 30, 2022. A tentative target of 52 lakh metric tonne (LMT) in terms of rice has been fixed for KMS 2021-22. In terms of paddy, this comes to nearly 77 LMT, he said.

For the kharif season, the tentative target for procurement of paddy would be 63 lakh MT and for the rabi season, the target is 14 lakh MT. There is no bar for procurement of any higher quantum if more paddy arrives in the ‘mandis’ from registered farmers. The Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister has been authorised to revise this target if the need arises, Mohapatra added.
The Odisha Cabinet has enhanced the monthly Government contribution towards the National Pension Scheme (NPS) from 10 to 14 per cent with respect of all employees covered under the NPS. This will come into force from April 1, 2019, he added.

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