Orissa Cabinet: 253 more high schools to get block grant

The Orissa cabinet meeting on Sunday approved the block grant for 253 high schools under the one GP (gram panchayat) one school scheme.

As per the approval the 37 eligible private high of the total list of 253 high schools under the scheme would get 60 per cent grant from block, with effect from April 1, 2008. The state government would spend around Rs 12.50 crore for this purpose.

Other major decisions are:

• The cabinet agreed for amendment of Orissa Government Land Settlement Act, 1962. Easy for govt to sell or convert land (gramkantha, khasmail, nazrul and anabadi) in the areas of Western Orissa, Cuttack, Chandbali, Talcher Ganjam , Koraput and Puri for industrialization.
  
• Exempts taxes (under VAT) on goods to be used on the rehabilitation and reconstruction works in the flood-affected areas in the state.
  
• Agreed for the amendment in the Orissa Municipal Act. The changes will allow anyone to file a petition challenging the election matter in 45 days instead of the stipulated 15 days.
• Rejected the proposal by Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts of India (ICFAI) for setting up multi-disciplinary university at Jatnai. In 2007, ICFAI had signed MoU with state government. The bill to be re-examined.
  
• Agreed to give equal status to ESI hospital doctors as that of Government doctors. During the entry level, they would also be regarded as Junior class-1 and specialists would avail Rs 3,000 additional allowances.