Bhubaneswar, Dec 16
In a significant decision, Odisha’s Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has approved a package of Rs.289.42 crore for the benefit of MSMEs in order to combat the pandemic situation in the State.
According to senior officials, the package includes a number of assistance measures such as interest subvention, top-up subsidy, reimbursement of State GST and waiver of annual institutional maintenance charges. It is aimed at benefiting a range of entrepreneurs, mostly women and weaker sections of society, in the MSME sector of the state to recover from the unexpected challenges by the Covid 19 pandemic. In ECLGS 1,70,000 MSME units will reap the benefit of interest subvention.
A sum of Rs 108.29 crore is being released with a focus to cover 40 percent of eligible women-run MSMEs, added the officer.
The officials further informed that under the PMEGP for the 2020-21 financial year, the top-up subsidy to weaker sections is 5 percent as promoters contribution as per the prescribed norm. An amount of Rs.27 Crores has been provisioned to meet the requirement. This will help in a big way to weaker section (SC/ST/OBC/Minority Community/Women/Physically challenged/Ex-Servicemen) in facing the pandemic crisis.
Similarly, for the food processing units functioning under PMFME, a Central Sponsored Scheme, on 60:40 basis, will be given 15% extra top-up subsidy to cover around 1000 unit for the current financial year. Likewise, Rs 10 Crores will be given towards top-up subsidy under the scheme.
COVID-19 Assistance package (CAP) launched by Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Department is another assistance provision that will bring relief to nano and micro Enterprises, said officials.
Currently, assistance to the tune of Rs. 100 Crore will be made available through Women SHG members, added the officials.
The officials further said that Chief Minister through video conference today reviewed implementation of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and Urban Wage Employment Programmes in all the districts of the State.
Chief Minister while saying that target has been fixed to create 20 crore man-days under these two schemes during current financial year, warned stringent action against delayed payment of wages to the poor people. He also reminded the Collectors to ensure timely payment of wages to the beneficiaries and to monitor it through ‘Mo Sarkar’ platform.
Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy, Principal Secretary, Panchayati Raj D.K. Singh, Principal Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department G. Mathivathanan and Secretary to CM (5-T) V.K. Pandian participated in the review meeting.
Chief Minister said that approval to the ordinance of Shree Lingaraj Temple for management of the affairs of Shree Lingaraj Temple and safeguarding the properties and interest of Servitors is a historical decision. The Special Law in the line of Shree Mandir Act will be proved significant to make the service and nitis of the Temple disciplined, he added.
Chief Minister said that lending a green touch to Eco Retreat Odisha, Sambalpur Forest Division started ‘One Tent, One Plant’ initiative to encourage guests to plant trees near their tents. This initiative will help improve green cover and strengthen visitors’ bond with the forests, he added.
