Odisha Cabinet approves Rs 12,000 crore scheme to set up 2,200 primary schools

BHUBANESWAR : The Odisha Cabinet on Monday approved an outlay of Rs 12,000 crore to set up 2,200 primary schools under the Godabarish Adarsha Vidyalaya (GAV) scheme in three years from 2025-26, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said. The state Cabinet meeting, chaired by Majhi, also approved three other proposals including beautification of the Maa Tarini Temple at Ghatagaon in Keonjhar district at a cost of Rs 226 crore.

Briefing media persons after the meeting, the chief minister said at least one model primary school will be developed at each Gram Panchayat (GP) under the GAV scheme. Targeting the erstwhile BJD administration, he alleged: “The primary education system collapsed during the 24-year rule of the previous government. They had just painted broken walls of the schools in the name of 5T transformation.” The 5T Initiative was a governance model of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government, that focused on Teamwork, Transparency, Technology, Time, and Transformation.

To strengthen the primary education system in the state, the government has approved the GAV scheme, Majhi said. He further said that the objective of the GAV scheme is to establish model schools at the panchayat level with emphasis on inclusive and quality education in line with the objectives of the Right to Education ( RTE ) Act, 2009. This initiative is also in line with the National Education Policy ( NEP )-2020 and the vision of NIPUN Odisha.

In the first phase, 2,200 model schools will be constructed between 2025-26 and 2027-28 at an estimated cost of Rs 12,000 crore. While the cost for each school is estimated at around Rs 5 crore, the actual cost will be determined on the basis of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for each school, the CM said. The GAV scheme, named after poet Godabarish Mishra, is a transformative initiative towards building an inclusive and quality education ecosystem in Odisha, further strengthening the state's commitment to equal educational opportunities and basic empowerment of every child, Majhi added.

Odisha cabinet decisions

The chief minister said the Cabinet has also approved Rs 226 crore for beautification and peripheral development of Maa Tarini Temple at Ghatagaon. These works will be undertaken over an area of 59.206 acres and are targeted to be completed within 24 months. It was estimated that Rs 80 crore will be spent on land acquisition, while Rs 146 crore will be utilised for development of various facilities including 216-bed guest house, pilgrimage centre, interpretation centre, food plaza & watch tower, market complex, coconut store and Prasad serving room for 500 people and cloak room, he said. After all these works are completed, the temple of Maa Tarini will be considered as one of the major religious tourism destinations in India, Majhi added.

The CM also informed the media that two proposals of the Labour and Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) Department to amend existing Acts have been approved by the cabinet to improve Ease of Doing Business. The state government has decided to make necessary amendments to the Factories Act, 1948 and the Odisha Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1956, he said.

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As per the cabinet decision, now, the commercial units that engage 20 or more employees will have to register under Odisha Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1956. The daily working hours has been enhanced from 9 hours to 10 hours with a rest of at least half an hour in an interval of six hours, an official statement said. Prohibition on engagement of women employees during night has been removed. Now, women employees can be engaged during night with their written consent and subject to conditions of safety, security and dignity of women as may be notified by the state government, the statement said.

Where an employee works in any establishment for more than 10 hours on any day or for more than 48 hours in any week, he will be entitled to double the ordinary rate of wages, it said. These reforms will reduce compliance burden on small businesses and provide impetus to entrepreneurs, thus creating more economic activities while ensuring welfare of employees, the chief minister said. It will also enhance employees' earnings by allowing more overtime work and promote higher work participation opportunities for women in the organized sector and corporate sector, he further stated.