Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, April 28, 2015 :

The cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister Naveen Patnaik has decided that the hike in salary of the doctors working in the remote areas divided into four parts would be raised. Doctors working in the remotest areas will get 100% hike in their salary while the doctors working in the remote and far-off tribal areas will get additional Rs 40,000 apart from their salary, chief secretary G C Pati told the media persons after the meeting.

The Cabinet endorsed some 21 proposals discussed at the meeting including the much delayed approval of the report of the three commissions of inquiry.

The government has decided to provide three acres of land to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) in Sambalpur city for setting up of a Doppler radar unit.

The Cabinet also okayed the amendment to the Investor Protection Act, 2009 in which persons with a deposit of less than Rs 10000 would be considered as small investors while the government will give priority on refund of their money they had invested in the chit fund companies.

In a significant move to boost potato production in the state, the cabinet cleared the proposal for formation of State Potato Mission. Of lae, Odisha has been facing shortage of potato forcing it to depend on the neighbouring states.

Most importantly, the cabinet approved a proposal for creation of a new department known as Department of Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disability a long standing demand from the non-government organization and civic society.

“This department which was earlier with the Women and Child Development department, will now function independently”, Pati added.

The cabinet also approved a proposal for appointment of the athletes, winning gold medal in the Olympic and Commonwealth Games, in the Odisha Police as the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP).

Besides, it also approved a proposal for setting up of 15 community toilet complex in Puri for the ensuing Nabakalebara festival. The proposed toilet complex would be constructed by the Sulabh International Service.