Bhubaneswar, Aug 13: The Odisha Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, on Wednesday convened its 24th meeting at Lok Seva Bhawan here and approved seven major proposals across six departments, marking a significant push toward infrastructure, public welfare, and administrative reform.

The seven proposals include approval of the bidding outcome for a Rs 382.40 crore 24x7 drinking water supply project in Sambalpur Town, under which M/s Eagle Infra India Ltd. will construct intake wells, a water treatment plant, and turbine pumps to serve an estimated 7 lakh people by 2043, easing capacity saturation in Sambalpur, Hirakud, and Burla.

To improve urban safety and energy efficiency, the Cabinet sanctioned LED street lighting across 110 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs). Retrofitting stretches will be upgraded, while greenfield areas will be funded through a mix of OUIDF loans, grants, and ULB contributions.

In a move to position Odisha as a regional aviation hub, incentives under IPR 2022 were extended to M/s Air Works India for establishing a world-class MRO (Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul) facility at Biju Patnaik International Airport, Bhubaneswar. The project falls under the MAAN scheme, aligning with the global MRO market projected to reach USD 117 billion by 2031.

The Cabinet also approved the Odisha Nursing Education Service Rules, 2025, prescribing recruitment and promotion procedures for nursing faculty in government institutions. The move will address vacancies in eight existing nursing colleges, 21 ANM training centers, and seven upcoming colleges, ensuring quality teaching and strengthening nursing education.

A separate Directorate of Museum will be set up to improve cultural management and coordination, with dedicated curatorial service rules to enhance the functioning of state museums.

The Cabinet approved rules for Odisha Ministerial Services in CT&GST offices, standardizing recruitment and service conditions across 12 ranges and 50 circles. Eighty percent of posts will be filled through direct recruitment and 20% via promotion, ensuring uniformity in the ministerial cadre.

It also cleared a Rs300 crore State Plan to set up 38 Model Mandis in the first phase--14 large, 17 medium, and 7 small--featuring modern storage, drying platforms, and digital systems to cut post-harvest losses, ensure fair prices, and improve transparency in paddy procurement.

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