Orissa to focus development in rural sector: Naveen

Bhubaneswar, Feb 8 (UNI) Orissa is poised for a massive developmental programme with a firm commitment of investment to the tune of Rs.4 lakh crore, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said today.

Inaugurating the 48th annual session of the Orissa Engineers Service Association(OESA) here, Mr Patnaik said the engineers have a vital role to play as huge investment in mines, minerals, power, IT and tourism would be made in the coming years.

The chief minister, however, said his government would accord priority to the development of rural areas with more focus on rural roads, water and electricity.

He urged the engineers to ensure speedy implementation and maintain quality of the projects so that they were completed on time.

Works Minister A U Singdeo said the government was contemplating developing a 3900 KM road as a mining corridor in nine mine rich districts. He urged the engineers to give their necessary input to the 'Orissa vision 2020' which was still at a conceptual stage.

Urban Development Minister K V Singhdeo said the public health division would soon be brought under essential service. A formal proposal in this regard would be placed before the Chief Minister who had assured to consider the matter, he added.

OESA President D K Singh and Secretary P K Patra urged the government to consider the time bound scale to the engineers which had already been extended in West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra and Haryana.

They also demanded that on the basis of the recommendations of the Administrative Reform Commission in 1967,the Orissa government should judiciously consider the post of service engineers to head the respective engineering department starting from the Deputy Secretary and above as already implemented in other states.

The OESA also urged the chief minister to fill up vacant posts stating that the technical departments were finding it very difficult to cope with the twin pressure of growing workload and dwindling staff.

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