Other States - Orissa   

Be selective on projects, plan panel tells State

Bhubaneswar: Planning Commission on Monday asked the Orissa government to take up only those projects that are financially viable as well as attractive in public-private partnership.

Planning Commission secretary Subas Pani, who reviewed progress in certain projects under PPP in Orissa, told reporters that the government should be selective on projects as it had to attract investment from private entities also.

He also asked the State government to send detailed project reports (DPRs) of at least three projects for viability gap funding (VGF) to the Union Finance Ministry.

Official sources said that Rs. 7,000 crores to Rs. 10,000 crores was kept for VGF to assist the State government to complete infrastructure development projects.

“Since both the Centre and the State governments are not in a position to invest in infrastructure development, the PPP mode came into existence,” he said while striking down projects like computerisation of registrar offices.

He said as there was a possibility of private investors being reluctant to put their money in computerisation project, the government should not take it up.

Mr. Pani also appreciated projects like solid waste management for Bhubaneswar that would cost Rs. 1,400 crores, tourism project for development of Samuka beach near Puri at Rs. 3,000 crores and Rourkela-Sambalpur four-laning road project of Rs. 1,300 crores.

Official sources said that of the total 35 projects of Rs. 13,500 crores under PPP mode in Orissa, only 10 have reached the implementation stage, while the rest had been in pipeline for the past one year. PPP special secretary Gagan Dhal said the projects like two ports, one at Dhamra and another at Gopalpur, were being successfully developed under the PPP mode.

Other projects that were being implemented were: International Convention Centre at Bhubaneswar with an investment of Rs. 480 crores, Info Park Project here worth Rs. 500 crores, IT and Corporate Tower Project worth Rs. 146 crores and Rs. 35-crore Knowledge Centre, SEZ-BPO at Mancheswar Industrial Estate in Bhubaneswar and two IT commercial centre at Rourkela and Berhampur.

Mr. Pani appreciated the Samuka beach project near Puri, the sources said. –PTI

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Take steps to solve tribals’ problems: ST panel chief
Be selective on projects, plan panel tells State
5 labourers killed as earth caves in
Bundle of woes
School enrolment drive gets fillip
Scribes meet
Ex-football player dead
Varsity move opposed
His 7th marriage ends in tragedy
BPL fire victims to get houses
Heatwave toll goes up to 41
Congress leaders, workers court arrest
Hand fans club grows bigger
Plea to Centre on heritage sites
‘Boudha Mahotsav’ begins
Talk on civic amenities
‘Be selective’
Congress campaign
Antiques, precious stones seized
OUAT develops fruit preservation tech

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu