Bhubaneswar, Sept. 18 (UDN): Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg on Thursday directed district Collectors to expedite the implementation of major government schemes and resolve bottlenecks related to land, approvals and project execution within defined timelines.
Garg issued the directions while chairing a high-level review meeting at Lok Seva Bhawan to assess the district-wise progress of flagship programmes across key departments. Collectors participated in the meeting virtually.
Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary Deoranjan Kumar Singh, ACS Housing and Urban Development Usha Padhee, and senior officials from various departments attended the review.
Focus on last-mile implementation
The meeting examined pending land issues, administrative approvals, execution delays and other challenges affecting projects at the district level.
The Chief Secretary stressed close coordination between Collectors and departmental officials and called for regular monitoring to ensure that sanctioned projects translate into tangible benefits for people within stipulated deadlines.
The review covered Housing and Urban Development, Labour and ESI, Women and Child Development, Health and Family Welfare, Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts, Odia Language, Literature and Culture, School and Mass Education, Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment, and MSME.
Water projects, waste management under review
Urban drinking water projects figured prominently in the discussions, with land-related hurdles identified as a key challenge. Collectors of Khordha, Sambalpur and Cuttack were asked to take immediate steps to resolve land issues affecting five priority projects.
Officials also reviewed measures for market-based resource mobilisation by smaller urban local bodies under the Credit Repayment Guarantee Sub-Scheme.
Compliance with waste-management norms, including implementation of directions issued by the Supreme Court, was also discussed.
Health, labour and nutrition priorities
The Labour and ESI Department reviewed arrangements for land for a proposed 100-bed ESI hospital, along with district-level measures to combat child labour.
Officials also discussed labour inspection committees and preparedness measures, including regular meetings and mock drills by district and local crisis-management groups dealing with chemical emergencies.
Under Women and Child Development, the review covered Poshan Maah-2026, the Suposhit Odisha Mission and digital monitoring mechanisms. Officials stressed early identification and referral of malnourished children, registration of pregnant women, greater participation of fathers in nutrition programmes and improved outreach in remote areas.
The Health and Family Welfare Department presented updates on biomedical waste management, land availability for primary health centres, the Ayush Medical College, the Ama Hospital initiative and the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme.
Heritage, education and handicrafts
The Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts Department reviewed the progress of the Srijnika craft cluster and other major clusters covering handicrafts, handloom, silk and weaving.
The Odia Language, Literature and Culture Department discussed implementation of the Baraputra Aitihya Gram Yojana, which seeks to develop the birthplaces of eminent Odias as heritage destinations. District-wise land allotment, preparation of detailed project reports and removal of implementation hurdles were reviewed.
The School and Mass Education Department examined the Godabarish Mishra Adarsh Primary School scheme, residential hostels under Odisha Adarsha Vidyalayas and the creation of APAAR IDs for students.
Agriculture and MSME projects
The Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment Department reviewed farmer registration under AgriStack and progress of the Kharif-2026 digital crop survey.
The MSME Department was directed to strengthen district-level Single Window Clearance Authorities and reviewed progress on MSME parks, startup development and credit facilitation.
A detailed discussion was also held on the proposed development of 30 MSME parks across the state, with one planned in each district.
Collectors asked to maintain timelines
Garg directed Collectors to work closely with line departments and address land acquisition, approval, construction and implementation-related issues without delay.
She emphasised regular district-level monitoring and stronger inter-departmental coordination so that government schemes and approved projects move beyond administrative processes and reach beneficiaries on schedule.
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