Odisha Cabinet grants university status to GIET Gunupur

Bhubaneswar: The State Cabinet meeting, presided over by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday, has approved six proposals including grant of private university status to Gandhi Institute of Engineering and Technology (GIET) at Gunupur in Rayagada district.

Other important proposals which got the approval of the cabinet are hike in health insurance and medical allowance of former legislators; hike in sitting allowance of the Speaker, Deputy Speaker and Ministers and change in education qualification for appointment of foresters, among others.

The revised limit of health insurance for former MLAs has been increased to Rs 5 lakh from Rs 2 lakh per annum and they will be provided monthly medical allowance of Rs 2,000. Besides, the proposal to increase the sitting allowance of the Speaker, Deputy Speaker and Ministers to Rs 800 from Rs 150 received the Cabinet nod.

Candidates applying for the post of forester must now have a Bachelors Degree in Science. A proposal regarding this of the Forest and Environment Department was also approved by the Cabinet. A proposal of the Water Resources Department for amendment in Odisha Ground Water (Regulation, Development and. Management) Act, for setting up of two underground drip irrigation projects in Belpahar, Jharsuguda and Brajarajnagar also received the Cabinet nod.

Further, the Cabinet also decided that there would be no collection of fees from the primary members of the Cooperative Societies.