By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, November 4, 2015 : In a bid to provide rail connectivity to seven left out districts in the state, Odisha government on Wednesday  signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Union Railways Ministry at New Delhi for the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV).

The proposed railway connectivity will be extended to Boudh, Kandhamal, Nayagarh, Nabrangpur, Kendrapada, Malkangiri and Deogarh districts. Priority will be given to the Maoist-affected districts, according to officials.

As per the MoU, a SPV committee will be set up to implement the project on a Joint Venture (JV) mode to be headed by the Odisha Government’s representative and its headquarters will be at the state capital here.

While Odisha Government will have 51% stake in the project, the Railways Ministry will have 49% stake, as per the MoU inked.

In the initial phase Rs 200 crore has been earmarked to be spent on the project.

Union Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu, his colleague Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha, Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram, Odisha Transport Minister Ramesh Majhi along with all the parliamentarians from Odisha were present during the signing of this significant MoU.