Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, May 1, 2015 :

Odisha registered an impressive record growth of 49.14% in the total capital spending pegged at Rs 11,567 crore during 2014-15 against the total capital expenditure of Rs.7756 crore in the last fiscal.

The State Plan expenditure during 2014-15 has also increased to Rs 30345 crore compared to Rs.20544 crore during 2013-14. This was revealed during a secretary level meeting held under chairmanship of chief secretary Gokul Chandra Pati here on Friday.

Presenting the fiscal scenario of the state, additional chief secretary, finance R. Balakrishnan said the capital expenditure and GSDP ratio of the state has significantly increased the level record of 3.72%. Pati, however, has advised the departments to target for boosting this ratio to 4-5% in coming years.

Meanwhile, Balakrishnan has asked all large spending departments to ensure 60% spending by end of 3rd quarters of the current fiscal year in all non-plan, plan, state plan and centrally sponsored plan schemes.

Pati also called upon the departments to identify more number of public private partnership [PPP] schemes with an aim to facilitate an investment to the tune of Rs 1000 crore in various sectors during current FY.

Reviewing the progress in Public service delivery, Pati has directed the departments to make more number of public services online and link those to common service centers so that people can avail the services by paying nominal fees there and they will not be required to run to the government offices by covering long distances.

So far 89 services have been notified under Public Service Act and more 522 services have been identified by various departments to be included under public service. General Administration principal secretary, G.V.V. Sarma, present in the meeting has been asked to examine notification of these services under Public Service Delivery Act.

Besides, Pati directed the agriculture department to take up skill based training programmes for identified progressive farmers. It has been targeted to train at least 20,000 such farmers in each year.
Fisheries and Animal Resource Development department has also been asked to initiate similar programmes.

It has also been decided to cover around 50,000 youths under apprenticeship programmes of various industries, corporations and public sector units. MS& ME departments has been asked to initiate actions in this regard, a government press release said.