By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, September 26, 2019: The Cabinet headed by chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday endorsed a slew of proposals including the revision of Kharif Marketing Season (KMS), 2019 policy and construction of a modern Inter-State Bus Terminal (ISBT) at Baramunda and a bus depot at Khandagiri here.

Speaking to media persons after the meeting, chief secretary Asit Tripathy said the Cabinet has approved the Food and Procurement Policy for Kharif Marketing Season (KMS), 2019 to regulate all aspects of paddy and rice procurement during the ensuing KMS.

The government has fixed a tentative target of 41 lakh metric tonne (LMT) in terms of rice (60 LMT in terms of paddy). For Kharif, the tentative target for procurement of paddy would be 50 LMT and for Rabi 10 LMT.

The Cabinet has further decided that Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation (OSCSC) and other agencies shall engage PACS/ LAMPCS/Women SHGs/Pani panchayats in paddy procurement operations. Besides, the disbursal of payment of farmers dues on account of paddy sold to government shall be transferred directly to their bank accounts through online mode within 24 to 48 hours of the sale of paddy to the government.

The Cabinet also approved a tender for construction of a modern Inter-State Bus Terminal at Baramunda and bus depot at Khandagiri here on Engineering, Procurement & Construction (EPC) mode.

It is a strategic project not only for improving the public transit system in the city but also connecting many capital cities and business centres in other states. The ISBT will have an idle bus parking space for 190 buses, apart from a public parking space for more than 250 four-wheelers and about 175 two Wheelers.

Bhubaneswar Development Authority will over the project while the central government PSU Bridge and Roof Company India Ltd, which emerged as LI bidder, has been picked up to execute the proposed Bus Depot at Khandagiri at a cost of Rs 160.66 crore. The cabinet vetted the proposal. The PSU will complete the project in two years along with maintenance for five years and defect liability period for five more years.

The Cabinet further approved construction of Teaching Hospitals for two government medical colleges at Bolangir and Balasore on the basis of PI tender in order to improve the medical education and to cater to the needs of qualified doctors. The work has been targeted for completion within two and half years.

The two teaching hospitals having 500 beds each, a service block, medical gases pipeline system, and ESS building external works will soon be constructed.

The proposed hospitals will be constructed on basis of PI tender at expenses of over Rs 286 crore in order to improve medical education and to cater to the needs of qualified doctors to widespread health institutions, an official release said.

The construction work for the teaching hospitals will be carried out by Iron Triangle Ltd.

While at a total expenditure of Rs 142.46 crore has been allotted for the medical college in Bolangir, while about Rs 145 crore will be spent for the medical institution in Balasore.