Odisha to create ‘Shelf of Projects’ for optimum utilisation of DMF

Bhubaneswar: With an aim to properly utilise funds under district mineral foundation (DMF), the Odisha government has decided to create a ‘Shelf of Projects’ in five districts.

After a meeting with Collectors of five districts at the State Secretariat in Bhubaneswar today, Chief Secretary AP Padhi said, "The district administration has been asked to prepare a shelf of projects of Rs 5,000-6,000 cr."

Padhi directed the officials to identify and build up a shelf of projects at least three times of the annual accrual in the DMF Fund under high priority and other priority areas indicated in the Odisha District Mineral Foundation Trust Rules.

The high priority items include drinking water, health, education, women and child welfare, and nutrition while the other priority items include infrastructure, electricity and irrigation.

These projects are to be forwarded to the respective DMF Trust Boards through Planning and Convergence Department for their consideration, said the official.

The projects will be executed in Keonjhar, Sundergarh, Jahrsuguda, Angul and Jajpur districts.

At present, Rs 3,548 crore has been allocated to the DMF fund for development work in the five districts.

The total amount allocated for projects, schemes and works sanctioned for funding out of DMF is Rs 1,862 crore.

The Chief Secretary further directed the Line Departments to strengthen their field formations by redeployment for faster implementation of the DMF sponsored projects.