OUIDF approves Projects of worth 905 Cr for Different ULBs in Odisha

Bhubaneswar, Feb 18: Odisha Urban Infrastructure Development Fund ( OUIDF) has approved 9 projects of worth Rs.905.19 cr for various Urban Local Bodies ( ULBs) in its 8^th Board of Trustees Meeting held under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary Sri Aditya Prasad Padhi in Secretariat conference hall today wherein Secretary Housing & Urban Development Sri G. Mathivathanan  along with  Chief Executive of OUIDF Sri Sishir Kumar Ratho presented the projects and outlined the issues for discussion. Considering the infrastructural need, social utility and environmental impact of the proposed projects, the Board approved the projects setting time lines for their completion. Chief Secretary Sri Padhi advised the departments to mobilize the ULBs to avail and utilize this facility for enhancing their revenue sources. Sri Padhi also asked to incentivize the better performing ULBs for encouraging other to follow the suit.

Chief Secretary further advised to promote eco-friendly projects like laying of road tops with the material produced from waste plastics. The department was also asked to make appropriate waste treatment and disposal systems in the fish and meat markets. Sri Padhi said that the budget for such waste disposal structures should be factored in the project proposal for wet-markets. The Development Commissioner, Sri R. Balakrishnan , present in the meeting advised to develop a model wet-market project proposal for replication in other ULBs. The model project, added Sri Balakrishnan should have centralized lucker  type facility for individual fish sellers. The maintenance of the markets including payment of power bills  should be made by the user society of the concerned market .

The approved projects in today’s meeting included the proposal for establishment of 2 Modern Wet Market at Unit-IV and Ghatikia  in  Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation,  setting up 56 numbers of vending zones by side of the road leading to Engineering school in Cuttack Municipal Corporation, construction of market complex at Ganesh Market in Udala NAC, construction of market complex at Patrapada in Sundargarh, development of sewerage system in east and west towns of Rourkela, improvement of water supply to graeter Berhampur and augmentation of water supply to Gopalpur NAC. The total estimated cost of these projects  is Rs.905.19 cr out of which OUIDF would provide Rs. 249.02 cr including  loan component of  Rs.126.81 cr and Viable Gap Funding ( VGF) of Rs.122.21cr.

The meeting also reviewed the progress of the projects approved earlier by the Board. The prominent among them were modern abattoir at Gadakana in BMC, sewerage system at Sambalpur,  sewerage system at Rourkela, solid waste management project at Berhampur, affordable housing projects at Chandrasekharpur and Ghatikia in BMC, bulk water supply project for IIT, NISER, INfocity-II, Jatani and Khurda, water supply in Berhampur municipal corporation , reclamation of 14 water bodies in Bhubaneswar, reclamation of 3 water bodies in Berhampur , fish markets at 2 locations in Sambalpur, reclamation of 7 water bodies in Sambalpur and regional municipal solid waste processing facility for Cuttack and Bhubaneswar. Chief Secretary directed to follow up the projects through field supervision and accomplish the mile stones set as per the time schedule. Available data shows a total amount of Rs.383 cr has been disbursed from OUIDF as loan and VGF against these projects.